Mirror
by dimples33
Summary: When Rick lost his son five years ago he felt like no one understood his pain but with the help of a grief counselling group he learned to cope. So when a new member falls apart during an emotional session Rick saw an image of himself from all those years ago and felt it was his duty to guide her through her pain. What he didn't expect was for her to help him too. AU. No walkers
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Rick looked at his red haired friend sitting across from him on the table. He looked a bit tired and Rick was worried about him. He was afraid to ask and watched as Abe concentrated on the chess pieces on the board between them. Smiling to himself, he moved one.

"Your move."

"Are you ok?"

Abe looked up at him saying nothing.

"You look tired…worn out."

Abe diverted his eyes back to the chess board.

"I'm fine Rick. Don't worry about me."

"How can I not?! Look at you!"

Abe looked at the orange jumpsuit that he was wearing. It was alittle disconcerting that the colour blended with his hair and skin. It bothered him and he knows that it bothers Rick too.

"Tell me what wrong Abe. Please."

Abe saw the desperation in his eyes. Rick already feels guilty that he's out there and he's in here but if he tells Rick what's wrong it will only make him feel worst. However, if he doesn't tell him he knows that it will eat Rick up inside.

"I'm just tired…that's all."

"Aren't you getting enough sleep?"

"Something like that."

Abe was trying to answer his question and be vague at the same time.

"Why not?"

Clearly it's not working.

"Just had some trouble a few days ago. Had to sleep with one eye open since."

Rick stared at him…waiting for an explanation. Abe sighed.

"Apparently the little ass wipe family have a few dirty little connections in here or they are trying to make these connections…I don't know for sure. Anyway, some men came at me in the lunch room with shanks."

Rick's eyes widen with horror. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. Abe suspect the shock stole his words.

"I'm alright. Can't say the same for some of the others."

Rick swallowed hard before he asked the next question.

"Did you?"

Abe finished his sentence.

"Kill anybody? No…but it wasn't pretty when I was through with some of them. The guards broke us up before I didn't get to deal with the rest."

Abe saw the look on Rick's face.

"Come on man! Don't look at me like that."

"This is partially my fault! I should be in here with you…fighting beside you!"

"And what good would that have done?! It doesn't make sense for two of us to lose our freedom over that asshole. Besides…you couldn't stop me even if you had tried."

"Still doesn't make it right Abe."

"I did what I did because the courts didn't give me…us any justice. I didn't do what I did just for you. Don't take that burden on yourself. We both lost something that day. The courts spat in our faces when we were trying to seek justice and basically told us that our loss...our feeling didn't matter because we didn't have money…the right last name...the right connections. I am glad I did what I did! No regrets. You chose a different path to deal with the pain. I wish I had the balls to do what you did but you know me…act first then deal with consequences later."

He smiled at a sombre Rick.

"Don't regret the decision you made Rick. It was the right one. Maybe if I had a do over I would have followed you but unfortunately we only have one life and it doesn't allow any do overs."

The two men stared at each other for a couple of minutes.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Nah. I have the situation under control. I made friends with some quite unsavoury people. They have my back."

Rick eyed him.

"At what cost?"

Abe smirked.

"All the stuff you send me…shampoo, cigarette, soap, books. Hey! You are helping me after all!"

"That's not funny Abe."

"I know. I'm sorry."

Rick folded his arms across his chest in frustration.

"What you can help me with is a job…a decent one. One that pays atleast $15 per hour. That would be nice. I would need a place to stay too."

"You know you could stay me. That's already settled."

"Do you have a girlfriend now?"

"No."

"Well you might get one by the time I get out. You will need your privacy so I will need my own place."

"I'm not looking for any relationship right now and even if…and that's a big if. Even if I get a girlfriend the house is big enough for you to stay in without you disturbing our privacy."

"We'll deal with that when the time comes."

"How long again until you are released?"

"Eighteen months."

Rick seemed shocked by the answer.

"Yes Rick. I still have a long way to go before I taste freedom."

"Jesus Christ! Do you have to be so damn flippant about it? F*ck!"

"What the hell do you want me to do Rick? I'm in a damn cage and there is nothing I could do about it other than to keep my head down and do my time until my appointed hour of liberty come."

Rick could tell that Abe was getting annoyed with him. He apologized.

"I'm sorry."

Abe nodded.

"It's still your move."

Rick smiled and looked at the chess board. Then the visitor's buzzer sounded. Both men looked at each other.

"Till next time?"

"Yeah."

Both men got to their feet and embraced each other. Rick was almost out the door when Abe called out to him.

"Hey! Tell Sasha I love her."

"I will." **************************

Rick parked his car in the parking lot of the huge commercial complex. He checked his time and saw that he would arrive to the meeting just in time. He briskly walked up the stairs and headed towards the elevator. He pressed the button for the sixth floor. The elevator whirred silently until it reached its destination. The door opened and he walked up to the reception desk. He greeted Rosita…the bubbly receptionist.

"Good evening Mr Grimes."

"How long have you known me?"

"Three years."

"And how many times have I told you to call me Rick? This is an informal setting here. I want people to feel comfortable. All this Mr stuff will turn people away."

"I know and I'm sorry Rick."

"That's much better. Do we have any new clients?"

"Yes. Eight."

"Wow! That's good. Are they already inside?

"Well seven of them are."

"Ok…..so where's the eight?"

Rosita nodded over his shoulder causing Rick to turn around. There he saw sitting in the last row of chairs in the sitting area a woman. She had a large scarf over her head and it partially hid the rest of her face as well. She wore huge dark shades covering her eyes. The clip board with the registration form was on her lap and the pen was in one her hand while the other was fisted at her side. The woman stood still staring blankly at the paper in her lap. Rick looked at Rosita who shrugged her shoulders.

"How long has she been like this?" Rick whispered to Rosita

"Actually she was the first one here. She took a form and have been sitting there ever since?"

"And how long was that?"

"Three hours."

"And you didn't try to help her?!" Rick asked annoyed.

"I did! I asked her if she needed help. She didn't even look up at me! What else am I supposed to do?"

"Help her! Somehow!"

Rick put his bags on Rosita's desk and began walking over to the woman. It appeared that she sensed his approach because quick as lightening, the woman put the clipboard on the seat next to her, grabbed up her bags and fled the area towards the stairs. Rick called out to her.

"Miss! Wait! I can help you!"

By the time Rick reached the railing at the top of the stairs and looked down, the woman was on the third floor. _Shit! She's quick!_ Rick thought to himself. He watched as the woman reached the last set of stairs then she paused. She glanced up at him briefly then disappeared. When Rick walked back to seat and picked up the clipboard the application sheet was tear soaked. It startled him. Rick walked over and handed the clipboard to Rosita. Her mouth opened. She looked up to Rick feeling guilty.

"This woman is very distressed and she needs help. The next time she shows up and I hope she does…do whatever it takes to keep her here. Call me. If I'm not around call Karen or Carol."

"Are you mad at me?"

"No Rosita. I'm not. Don't worry."

"Ok."

Rick walked through the door marked C.V.O.C. *************************

Rick stood before the group of about 25 people. He asked the newcomers to come forward and to sit at the front row.

"To all the new folks, I will like to tell you welcome to this C.V.O.C group which stands for Child Victims Of Crimes."

The old members of the group clapped to welcome them. Some of the new members began to cry and some of the older members came forward to comfort them. Rick continued.

"Although the group is called Child Victims Of Crime it is a grief support group for everyone. Anyone who has lost a child, whether through a crime or not is welcomed. My name is Rick Grimes and I am one of the co-founding members of this group. There are two other co-founders who will be joining me soon."

As if on cue, both Carol and Karen came through the door.

"And here they are!"

After apologizing to the group Carol and Karen took their places besides Rick.

"To my left is Carol Pollack and she is a licenced grief counsellor with over 20 years experience and to my right is Karen White and she is our liaison with the police department. She is specifically here to help those of you whose children were victims of crimes. However anyone of you are free to come to her for anything that you may need help with."

"And what do you Mr Grimes?" One of the new members asked.

"First things first...we go on first names basis only. That way everyone will feel comfortable. It puts all of us on even footing. Secondly, I am a sponsor for anyone who needs it. I also assign sponsors as well. Some of the older members of the group have volunteered to be sponsors to new members and I match persons based on their individual experience."

Carol and Karen each waved to the group and all three of them took their seats at the front. Carol decided to chair this meeting.

"So…which one of the new members wants to go first?"

A minute passed without anyone saying anything.

"Come on. Don't be shy." Karen coaxed.

Another minute passed when a hand slowly rose up. Carol and Karen smiled.

"Ok. Just introduce yourself and tell us your story."

The woman began.

"Hi. My name is Jessie and I lost my child six months ago."

"Hi Jessie!" Everyone said in unison.

Jessie was hesitant to speak again. Carol decided to help her.

"Was your child a victim of crime?"

"No." Jessie answered softly.

"That's ok. You are still welcomed here and your loss is not less painful than those who have lost a child to crime."

Jessie nodded.

"Continue." Karen urged her.

Jessie continued to speak while the others listened but Rick was slightly distracted. He was hearing the words coming out of Jessie's mouth but he wasn't actually paying attention. His mind was elsewhere…more specifically, his mind was on the woman who fled from him in the reception area. After Jessie was done speaking the others clapped her for her contribution when the next person rose to speak, Rick glanced at the door.


	2. Chapter 2

**Mirror – Chapter 2**

Rick rose to his feet quickly when he saw a shadow standing behind the door. He opened it and was somewhat disappointed. It wasn't her…the woman that fled from him, the woman whose tears flowed so viciously from her. Instead it was Rosita with a message for Carol. She saw the disappointment in his eyes as she handed him the message. She apologized again.

"I'm sorry Rick."

Rick smiled slightly and closed the door behind her. He walked back to his seat as the other woman spoke and he tried to focus on her words. He absentmindedly gave Carol the message who read it and frowned. She then gave her attention to the woman.

"My name is Mary-Jo and I lost my daughter three months ago. She was killed by a stray bullet while she was walking home from school. She wanted to be a..."

The woman couldn't go on. She began crying into the palms of her hand and collapsed in her chair. Some of the other senior ladies in the group huddled around to comfort her while some of the new members began crying as well.

"I'm sorry." Mary-Jo cried. "I miss her so much."

Rick didn't realize that his body tensed up until Karen held his hand gently. He turned to see her smiling at him and he smiled back. Although it had been just over five years since Carl died Rick is still stunned that hearing stories like these still affect him so strongly. He remembered what Carol had told him once during a conversation when he first approached her to form the group.

' _This pain Rick will never go away. The best you can do is deal with it and don't let it consume you.'_ She had told him but he did let it consume him and it ruined his life. He lost friends and his job with the Atlanta PD along with his pension. Then he was sucker punched in the gut by his ex-wife Lori who sued him in court. He knew that she was still bitter about their divorce three years earlier but he didn't know how much until he was served with the court papers.

He couldn't believe the things she claimed in the documents and said on the witness stand. She claimed that he was an unfit father and that the courts should have given her full custody of Carl. She even went as far as to blame him directly for the death of their son knowing damn well that it wasn't true. She said that if she had had him he would still alive today and it was because of Rick that their son died.

Rick gave Lori everything she asked for in the divorce. The house, the car, all the money in the bank and even their dog Max but still that wasn't enough. She wanted full custody of Carl too and that he wasn't going to let happen. When Lori filed for a divorce she threw him out of the house and Rick moved into a small studio apartment which Abe insisted he pay for.

He paid down the deposit and six month's rent and told Rick don't worry about it. He vowed that he would pay Abe back as soon as he got back on his feet. He stopped drinking and joined a support group and when their divorce finalized almost two years later Rick was in a good place. He started his own security consultancy firm and even did some work for the Atlanta PD.

They have tried many times to woo him back into the department but he always refused. Business has been steady since he started his company and he was able to pay Abe back in two months every cent that he owed him. He practically had to bully him to take the money. Rick even got a girlfriend too and he was happy for a while.

Andrea and Carl got along great whenever he came over for visits and Lori didn't approve at all. It was bad enough when the judge gave him joint custody but it got significantly worst when she found out about Andrea. She started making up excuses why Carl couldn't come over on weekends like he was supposed to knowing full well that Andrea would be there and was looking forward to seeing Carl.

He had to threaten to take her to court for violation of the visitation order and she simmered down abit although she would call his home phone multiple times during the day claiming that she was just 'checking up' on Carl and insulted Andrea every chance she got whenever she answered the phone.

Andrea didn't make any fuss about the situation despite him apologizing to her over and over for Lori's behaviour and it was soon after he understood why. They were happy for a year…that was until her husband showed up on Rick's door in the middle of the night. Without explanation Andrea fled the apartment through the back staircase that night. He filed a missing persons report two days later and only heard from her six days after that.

Rick was shock to hear from her when she called him and explained that she was sorry for not telling him that she was married but she was running from her husband who was physically abusing her. He remembers their conversation.

' _So you're not from Philly?'_

' _No Rick. I'm from Detroit. I couldn't take it anymore and I had to leave him. He's a cop and his friends are cops. They all cover for him…give him alibis whenever I make a report to the station.'_

' _How long have you been running Drea?!'_

 _She loved it when Rick called her by his pet name. She let out a small sob._

' _Five years.' She answered softly._

' _Five years?! Why didn't you tell me this? You knew I was a cop! I could have helped you!'_

' _You are such a good guy Rick and it wasn't fair to bring you into this mess. I was afraid of scaring you off. I had a boyfriend when I first left Michael and was living in Chicago. I told Phillip everything after we have been dating for almost a year. He kicked me out the next day. I didn't want to take that chance with you.'_

The anger and hurt Rick felt for those days when she disappeared instantly subsided.

' _Where are you?'_

' _Safe."_

' _Where!'_

' _I love you but I am not going to tell you. Move on with your life Rick. Find a nice girl with no complications….and no husband waiting to crawl out of the dark.'_

' _Andrea! Please let me help you!'_

' _I know you want to but I have to do this by myself. I know that now.' She paused. 'I'm so sorry Rick.'_

Then was a dial tone and he never heard from Andrea again. Six months after Andrea left, Carl died.

Rick has come to accept that the first meeting with new members are always the hardest. It starts out with a cry-fest and ends in one and having seven new emotional parents in one sitting is bound to be stressful.

The ladies have been trying to gather themselves for the past ten minutes to no avail. They apologized to Carol, Karen and Rick but Carol assured the ladies that it's ok…that they were in the right place to cry and let it all out. She decided to adjourn today's session till next week.

They watched as the ladies filed one by one out of the room with Rosita by the door handing out pamphlets for them to read and discuss for the next class. Karen also left. Carol glanced at the note again.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yes but it is me who should be asking you. What's wrong? You looked disappointed that it was Rosita at the door and you zoned out on us during the session."

"There was this lady who came in earlier. She should have been in this session."

"Where is she?"

"She ran."

"Hmmm. That's not uncommon for someone who is grieving Rick."

"You don't understand Carol. This woman needs help…real bad."

Carol turned around in her chair to give Rick her full attention.

"Go on."

"Rosita said she was the first one here this morning. She took a form and sat down to fill it out but she didn't. She just stared at the paper."

"That's still not uncommon."

"She was doing that for three hours Carol...just staring. You can't tell me that's common too."

"It's not common but it's not unheard of either."

"When I came and Rosita told me I approached her and she ran like a bat out of hell. I went after her to stop her…to try to convince her to stay but she was already gone."

"Ok. She is grieving Rick and we can't force her to seek help. She has to make the conscious decision to step through those doors. Until then, there is nothing that we can do other than doing what we are already doing…that is keeping our doors open hoping that people like her decides to come through."

Suddenly, Rick sprang to his feet, rushed outside and came back with a clipboard in hand. He shoved it in her face. She noticed that the paper on the clipboard had water marks and some of the words were faded.

"What's this?"

"Tears Carol…tears. Her tears."

Carol eyes widen as she looked up at him.

"Are you going to sit here and tell me that we are supposed to just wait for her to come to us?! That there isn't something that we could do to make her come in or atleast strongly recommend that she seek help immediately?"

Carol was strangely quiet as she stared out the window and it was noticed by Rick. She gripped the clipboard until her knuckles grew white.

"What? What is it?"

"This is a very rare and extreme case." The tone in her voice worried him. "I have only seen one other case like this before."

"And what happened?"

A full minute passed between them.

"Carol?"

She finally turned towards Rick her face filled with worry now.

"What happened?" he asked softly almost afraid of the answer.

"She killed herself." **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Michonne watched as the post man drop the coloured envelope into her mail box. Ten minutes later she was opening it with trembling fingers. This envelope holds the key to her sanity or insanity. She looked at the single piece of paper inside. It read:

 **August Valley**

 **Cinnamon Hill**

 **Under an old, weathered Sequoia Tree**

 **Three stones mark the spot.**

Michonne closed her eyes, a small tear escaping.

' _Could this be it? Will I finally have peace?'_

She took up her bag and walked out her door and hailed a cab. Ten minutes later the cab pulled up in front of the Atlanta PD. She pushed through the door and stood, scanning the sea of faces for the one she was looking for. An officer saw her and frowning, bumped his partner who looked up.

"Fuck. She's back."


	3. Chapter 3

**Mirror – Chapter 3**

Michonne scanned the police station for a couple minutes without seeing her target and she was growing frustrated. She walked up to the counter. The two police officers straightened up. They are under specific orders to help this woman anytime she comes from their superiors.

"Excuse me. I am looking for Officer Walsh. I have some new information for him concerning a case that he's working on. My name is …"

"We know who you are Mrs Peters."

"It's Ms Moore. I don't go by that name anymore."

"Oh. I'm so sorry about that but we are aware of your case."

Michonne smiled slightly. She didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad one. She knows that there are some officers who think it's a waste of time and state resources but Michonne has to have hope…she needs to have hope and she can't give up.

"Is he here?"

"He hasn't come in for his shift as yet."

"Ok."

Just then Officer Walsh walked in the door. Michonne saw the officer's body stiffened and she followed his gaze behind her. Her heart leaped with joy and she rushed over to him. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Shane has had a rough day and he literally had to drag himself to the station for his shift. When he saw the woman briskly walking up to him, he couldn't help but feel annoyed. He wasn't annoyed at her but at the whole situation. She pushed the paper at him as her big brown eyes looking at him…hopeful. He was beginning to have knots in his stomach as he knows that she doesn't want to face the possibility of what the truth is. He took the paper from her and looked at it briefly.

"Wait here."

Michonne watched as Shane walked over to the front desk. She saw him speaking to the two officers and saw that they were arguing abit.

"That's an order!" he barked at them. "We leave in ten minutes!"

Shane walked over to Michonne and she saw the officers angrily walked off towards the back. He looked at the time.

"It would be dark by the time we get to August Valley but once it doesn't rain we will be ok."

He tried to put on a smile on his face but Michonne saw right through it. Ten minutes later, Shane escorted her toward the parking lot when the officers pulled up in front of them in an unmarked police truck. Michonne got inside and she saw that shovels, boots, rope, flashlight and other tools were in the back.

"Thank you for doing this Officer Walsh. I really appreciate it."

Shane just smiled at her. ***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Carol sat in her car thinking about what Rick had told her earlier. She knows that the woman needs help and that by her just sitting in the waiting area crying her eyes out is just the first step in her asking for help. But the truth be told she doesn't want to experience what she did 8 years ago with a woman who was exhibiting exact same symptoms like Rick's mystery woman and to have the same result.

At the time she was managing a grief counselling group in Alabama. They knew she needed help as they recognized that she was a very extreme case and it was the first of a kind for Carol in all of her twenty years doing this job. They forced her to seek help when she wasn't ready to do so and the result…..the woman had a mental breakdown and she committed suicide.

 _ **8 years ago.**_

It was 1 am in the morning when Carol's phone began to ring. She glanced at the time through sleepy eyes and covered her head with the pillow to drown out the sound.

"Go away!" she grumbled.

The phone stopped ringing but then started up again seconds later. She ignored it as best as she could but when it was on its fourth ring set she answered.

"Hello?"

"Where the f*ck were you? I know you heard the phone ringing."

"What do you want Denise? This better be an emergency!"

"It's Ms Frederick again. She's here in the ER crying her eyes out and she's scaring the other patients and visitors in my hospital. You need to come here quickly. I'm the only thing keeping the hospital security from arresting her!"

"I'm on my way."

Carol stared up at the dark ceiling for a couple of seconds and then crawled out of bed and into the shower. The cold water jump started her body and ten minutes later, she was out of the door. On the drive over to the St Crispen's Children Community Hospital she remembered the details of Ms Frederick's case.

Three months ago her daughter died on the operating table and it was suspected that the surgeon on the case Dr Pete Anderson was negligent. There were eye witness reports that he was seen at a bar just before he reported for duty for his shift.

However, after a month long internal enquiry, he was cleared of all wrong doing in little Racquel's death. Ms Frederick's was devastated and rightfully so. Two weeks after the result of the investigation came out Dr Anderson was suddenly offered a consultancy position at St Crispen's sister hospital St Charles Children's Hospital in Manhattan.

St Crispen's was more than willing to release Dr Anderson from his contract immediately despite the legal ramifications of doing so. One week later after the offer was made Denise was sent to replace him and she have been dealing with the situation ever since. Dr Anderson never liked Carol and the feeling was mutual.

However she had remained cordial with him as she needed the list of referrals of persons who need grief counselling services after the loss of a child and hospitals are always a safe bet to get such. Carol had set up several grief clinics all over the state and it helped that she once worked for the gov't at a point in time.

When she decided to strike out on her own her previous boss managed to secure a six figure yearly grant to subsidize her which she gladly accepted. She had already set up five clinics and had only been in Alabama for one year when Ms Frederick's case landed in her lap.

Carol pulled up into the hospital's car park and when she entered into the corridor, she saw that it was cleared and two security officers standing guard over the distraught grieving mother. Denise met her halfway between Ms Frederick and the nurse's station.

"What hell is going on here Carol?! I gave her one of your cards and the pamphlets! You promised me that you would help her!"

"It doesn't work like that Denise. They have to come in voluntarily…of their own free will. I can't force her."

"Look at her Carol! This is an extreme case! This isn't normal grieving…even I know that!" She pulled Carol further away from Ms Frederick's earshot down the corridor.

"What do you want me to do?! You think I don't want to help her? I have spoken to her already…several times as a matter of fact. She knows the services that we offer, that she can come in or call me anytime! She just isn't ready to open up about her pain! I can't physically force her to come to the clinic! What part of that don't you understand?!"

Suddenly Ms Frederick started crying loudly drawing more stares from this crowd. Carol and Denise looked at her. She now dragged Carol into a private room.

"Look…I am sorry that she lost her child and yes in my humble opinion that investigation into Pete's action was bullshit. He is guilty of negligence and if it wasn't for his actions, Racquel would still be here. Now he is gone and I am now here. Besides being a doctor I am also one of the hospital administrators and my first duty is to my patients…all of them. Therefore I cannot have one patient causing untold emotional and psychological harm to the others because she can't or wouldn't seek help." She told a deep breath. "Either she talks to you Carol willingly or to the police unwillingly."

"You wouldn't!'

Just then they heard the loud cry again and a knock on the door.

"Come in."

Dr Bartholomew walked in visibly upset.

"What are you doing about this Denise? I have a patient who is complaining about the crying. This patient just came out of surgery."

Denise turned to Carol.

"I'm sorry Carol. She have been coming here for days and I can't let this continue. I don't want to do this but I will if I have too."

Carol watched helplessly as both doctors left the room. After gathering her thoughts Carol left the room also and made a straight beeline for Ms Frederick. She approached the distressed woman firmly but cautiously.

Ms Frederick…do you remember me? I'm Carol and I run a support group for grieving parents who have lost a child. I am sorry about your loss but you need to talk to someone about it. What you are doing right now is not helping you…it's not healthy." Carol stretched out her hand to the woman who just stared at her blankly. "Please come with me. I can help you."

For a minute, it appeared that she was getting through to her when suddenly she sprang to her feet and made a mad dash towards Denise and Dr Bartholomew close by. She was screaming at them.

"You people killed my child! Murderers!"

Before Carol could react the screaming woman is being wrestled to the ground by the security officers.

"Stop!" Carol shrieked at them.

The handcuffs were quickly placed on her and she was dragged to her feet and escorted out. Carol waited for the police to arrive and she followed them in her car back to the police station. Ms Frederick was put in an interview room and after much arguing Carol was allowed to sit in the room with her. She also got her handcuffs removed. Ten minutes passed in deafening silence.

"You have to talk to me now."

Ms Frederick just closed her eyes.

"I am not leaving here until you talk to me. You don't have a choice."

Carol knows that she was pushing to much but what other option does she have? This woman needs help and if she is not willing to acknowledge she is hurting bad enough and needs to talk to someone, then the only other alternative is that she will have to be forced. The woman's eyes opened slowly.

"You want me to talk?"

The tone of the woman's voice had changed. Carol was startled but she still tried to maintain a level head. She smiled.

"Yes."

"Ok."

Without warning Ms Frederick ran up to the wall and started banging her head on it. The first hit drew blood but she didn't stop. Carol dashed over to her and at the same time two police officers came into the room. After a brief struggle with the officers Ms Frederick violently grabbed one of the officer's gun and pulled it clear out of the holster. Everyone froze in their tracks. Panic soon stepped in when she put the gun in her mouth.

"Oh God! Please don't! I'm sorry for pushing you! Put the gun down please!" Carol begged.

A single tear rolled down Ms Frederick's cheek and mixed with the blood on her face. She closed her eyes and squeezed the trigger. ***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**


	4. Chapter 4

**Mirror – Chapter 4**

Two patrol cars pulled up at the Cinnamon Hill in August Valley. It was dark and the rain was pouring heavily. Michonne and Officer Walsh sat in the first car while Officers Romney and Mc Knight rode in the second one. Shane picked up his radio.

"We are gonna wait until this rain taper off then proceed."

"Yes sir."

Michonne looked up the hill. She saw a lot of trees but couldn't tell which one was weathered or a Sequoia tree because of the rain and the darkness of the night. They would have to wait. She leaned back in her seat pulling her jacket over her and closed her eyes…unaware that Shane was studying her. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

It was about twenty minutes later when Officers Romney and Mc Knight saw Shane finally got out and proceeded to the trunk of his vehicle. The rain was now a medium drizzle. They watched as he took out an umbrella and walked over to the passenger side. He opened the door holding the opened umbrella over it and Michonne got out.

Michonne then took the umbrella from him and they both walked back to the trunk of the car and Shane began taking out the tools necessary for their dig. Michonne looked back at them and smile and they reciprocated.

"Are we really f*cking doing this?" Mc Knight asked annoyed.

"Looks like it."

"This is bullsh*t!"

Officer Romney opened his door.

"Come on. Let's get this over with and done. The faster we dig the faster we get to go home." **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

The walk up the slight incline was made difficult by the rain. There was mud everywhere. Michonne looked at Romney and Mc Knight and she knew that they didn't want to be here. She is just grateful that Officer Walsh has been supportive of her. Ten minutes later each one of them spread out looking for an old weathered Sequoia Tree. Officer Romney found it almost immediately.

"Here!"

They walked over and there, directly under the tree were three stones in a cluster at its base. Michonne clasped her hands together and Shane reached out to her.

"Are you ready for this?"

Michonne closed her eyes, nodding.

They began digging. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

Michonne looked on as Officers Walsh, Romney and Mc Knight started digging and the first glimmer of hope appeared after three minutes…a small blue blanket. The officers looked at Michonne as she jumped into the hole and began clawing at the article of clothing that was still partially buried in the mud.

"Ms Moore!"

Michonne ignored them and pulled away from Shane when he took hold of her hand.

"Let me go!" she growled at him.

He stepped back and watched silently. After the third hard pull the clothing finally became loose and Michonne fell backwards into the mud. It was then they realized that the blanket had something wrapped in it. Michonne slowly opened it, hands trembling and she whimpered by what she saw inside. It was a collection of different size bones. Shane came up behind and took it from her.

He examined the contents carefully as Michonne looked on. From his 15 years of services as a police officer who have dug up more than his share of graves could tell that this grieving woman was in for some major disappointment. He looked at her trying to find the right words. Instead he just meekly shook his head.

"You don't know for sure!" Michonne said breathlessly.

"I've been a cop for 15 years Ms Moore. I am 99% sure that these are not human."

"So there is a 1% chance that it could be...right?!"

"Ms Moore I…."

"Right?!"

Shane looked at Romney and Mc Knight then back at Michonne. He said nothing.

"We have to take it to the lab for testing!"

Shane was very quiet. He didn't know how else to make her understand.

"A 1% chance is still a chance!" Michonne said now in tears. "Please don't take this away from me! Please!"

Shane folded the bones back into the blanket and told Romney to call Dr. Fredericks at the forensics lab.

"What?!" Romney said in disbelief.

"Call…Dr….Fredericks."

Romney angrily climbs out of the hole and Mc Knight followed him. Shane looked at Michonne smiling slightly. She reached out and touched him, barely able to contain herself.

"Thank you!" **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

Dr Frederick drove into the compound of the forensics lab only ten minutes after Shane and company arrived. Shane got out of the vehicle and handed the doctor the blanket.

"Do you know what time it is?"

"This is important."

"What case is this?"

When Shane hesitated to answer Dr Fredericks looked over his shoulder and saw Michonne sitting in the car.

"Really?!"

"Don't say a word!"

Dr Fredericks opened the blanket then looked up at Shane annoyed.

"You know what this is!"

They heard the car door opened and closed. Shane quickly looked around and saw Michonne walking towards them. He looked back at the doctor.

"Just humour me…please."

The doctor glared at him

"Is everything ok?"

"Yes." Dr Fredericks said slightly smiling.

They all went inside. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

They directed Michonne to sit in the waiting area in the corridor while they went into the examination table. The officers watched as Dr Fredericks lay the bones on the examination table and began preparing the chemicals to be used for the testing. Suddenly, he stopped and turned to them.

"No."

"No what?" Shane asked.

"No. I'm not doing this."

Shane walked up to the examination table.

"What do you mean you're not doing this?"

"We all know these are animal bones. Probably a large dog like a pitbull or german shepard or something. I'm sorry for this woman's lost but I am not going to waste time, energy and state resources doing some test which I already know what the results will be."

There was an eerie silence in the room.

"Resources are already scarce so I am not going to squander it on a woman who can't accept or wouldn't accept the truth or reality of her situation. There are too many real cases…real people out there that we can actually help!"

The doctor began packing up the chemicals.

"Why are you even doing this?! You are not doing her any favours by encouraging her! She needs to grieve and to grieve properly. This isn't helping her…Its very unhealthy."

Shane became angry.

"You think I don't know that?! I know she's a lost cause and a burden to the department. She's a burden to me! It's me she always calls or visits at the station whenever she gets one of these letters! I don't want to be here! None of us do! We know we can't help her, her case is already classified as a cold case but we were also instructed not to turn her away as well. What am I supposed to do? You tell me!"

"I don't know and quite frankly I don't care but the next time you drag me out of my bed at this ungodly hour for this bullsh*t case again I will report you to the disciplinary board. Waste your own time not mine."

Dr Fredericks turned to leave and was stopped dead in his tracks. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Michonne stood at the door to the room, staring at the men, shell shocked. Dr Fredericks, Shane, Romney and Mc Knight stared back at her. She looked each man directly in their eyes as she slowly walked across the room to them. The men looked at each other then back at her. They weren't sure how long she have been standing there or how much she had heard but from the way she was looking at them, they knew she had heard enough. She walked between Shane and the doctor to the examination table and quietly and robotically began gathering the bones in the blanket. Shane had to say something. They were all watching her silently.

"Ms Moore."

Michonne didn't respond. She was too busy trying to hold back the tears that were fighting to be freed. Too busy trying to process a conversation that was clearly not meant for her ears.

"Ms Moore. I don't know how much of that you heard but I can assure you it's not what you think."

Still not answering, Michonne put the last bone in the blanket and carefully folded them in and placed them in her bag. When Shane called out to her for the third time, she turned to face him.

"Ms Moore."

Michonne walked up to him and shook his hand.

"I want to thank you and your officers for coming tonight despite you all clearly not wanting to be here."

Her voice was low and trembling and a single tear escaped down her right cheeks. She quickly wiped it.

"I want you to know that I will not be a burden to you, your colleagues or the department anymore. You will not be hearing from me again. I will do this on my own from here on out."

Romney and Mc Knight looked at each other mortified. Michonne now turned to the doctor, her tears now flowing more at liberty, her voice choking up in the process as she was struggling to breath. She refused to completely breakdown infront of them.

"Doctor…I want to apologize for waking you up and you too will not be hearing about me or my case again as I want you to concentrate on more worthy cases with the already limited resources that you have. It's not Officer's Walsh's fault that he is here but I can assure you he will not be here on my account again. There will be no need for the disciplinary board complaint."

Michonne then looked at all four men…who have been rendered dumbstruck.

"Have a good night."

She walked out…with a trail of eyes behind her. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

When Michonne walked up in her house it was exactly 1:30 am. She felt numb, mechanical and as a stranger in her own house. Her house hasn't felt like home since that day and she suspects is never will. Taking out the blanket from her bag she opened it and looked at the bones. _'1% chance is still a chance!'_ She tried to reason with herself as she examined the bones, not even knowing what she was looking at.

After fifteen minutes she went upstairs and stripped down. Taking a handful of valium in her palm she went into the bathroom and quickly filled the tub. She swallowed the pills in one gulp and went into the tub filled with water. She closed her eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

**Mirror – Chapter 5**

 _ **Four years ago….**_

 _Michonne took another lick of her coconut-pine flavoured ice-cream as she looked on happily at her 5 year old daughter Cayla playing in the playground with the other children, screaming at the top of her lungs. Cayla loved going to the park on Saturdays as there were a flurry of kids activities hosted by a number of vendors for children between the ages of 5 to 12 years old – face painting, balloon decorating, bouncy castle and other activities. Her husband and Cayla's father Randy had a business meeting. He had told her that if he closed the account, the bonus that he will be getting, he would be able to take some much needed time off which Michonne have been begging him to do for awhile now. Cayla and a new friend Cindy that she had made a few weeks back ran over to her._

" _Mummy! Can Cindy come over to play next weekend? Please?!"_

 _Michonne smiled as the little girls hugged each other tightly as if to emphasize that they really really wanted this._

" _She can if her parents say yes."_

 _Both girls started jumping up and down excitedly on the same spot. Then Cindy broke free, running back into the crowd and seconds later, she saw the little girl pulling a tall and strapping man towards them. When they reached to where Michonne was sitting, Cindy began pleading with her father._

" _Pleaseee daddy! Can I visit Cayla? Pleaseeeee!"_

" _Only if her lovely mother says yes."_

 _With that, Cindy's father gave Michonne a playful wink which caused her to burst out laughing._

" _Yes she can."_

 _Both girls ran into the playground screaming happier than when they first arrived and Cindy's father sat next to her._

" _Hi. I'm Andre, Cindy's father." He stretched out his hand to her and she shook it._

" _I'm Michonne, Cayla's mother."_

" _Michonne? That's an unusual name. But I like it."_

 _Michonne only smiled to his remark as she kept her eyes fixed on the girls._

" _So…are you here alone?"_

" _Yes…my husband couldn't come with me today."_

" _Oh.."_

" _What about you? Is your wife here with you and Cindy."_

 _There was a sad pause before he answered._

" _Actually…I'm widowed." He said softly. "Two years now."_

" _Oh…I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to…" Michonne looked down at the ground awkwardly._

" _It's ok. I'm dealing with it."_

" _Did she like to come here?"_

 _Andre laughed._

" _I met her here actually. She had brought her nephew here and I was helping a friend of mine who were a vendor at the time to set up shop for a children's show that the local council was hosting. We hit it off instantly, got married after two years and when we had Cindy one year later we started bringing her here as well."_

" _So this place holds some deep meaning for you."_

" _Yeah. Even after she died I still came. I kinda was hoping to recapture that magic again with another special lady."_

" _Isn't it too soon for you to move on?"_

" _I do but Ava…that's my wife's name. She wouldn't want me moping around after she's gone. We would always talk about death and that kind of stuff. She would insist that I find someone and be happy…both me and Cindy."_

" _She sounds special."_

" _She is." Andre said smiling._

 _They both resumed watching the girls playing. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _ **Two months later….**_

 _It's Saturday and Cayla was watching impatiently out the window with her dog Kiki at her feet as Michonne was making breakfast. Things have been abit strained at home since Randy lost the business account to one of his office colleagues. She had left him in bed still sleeping as he had come in late last night._

" _She's here!" Cayla suddenly shouted as she ran for the door._

 _Michonne had heard a car pulled up in front of her house. She walked to the front door to see Cindy and Cayla hugging at the gate as Andre was unloading a sleeping bag among other things from the trunk. Michonne walked out to the gate to greet him as the girls rushed passed her towards the house chatting a mile a minute._

" _Sorry I'm late."_

" _It's not me you should be apologizing too. Cayla have been anxious since morning." Michonne said laughing as she took the rest of Cindy's stuff from him._

" _I'm only 30 minutes late."_

" _Yeah…thirty minutes from their playtime."_

 _They both laughed. Their girls have had play dates every Saturday and Sunday for the past two months and their bond has grown exponentially since then._

" _Same time tomorrow for Cindy's pick up?"_

" _Yup."_

" _Ok. I'll have her ready."_

" _Thanks for doing these play dates. Since Ava died, I have never seen Cindy hit it off with any other children her own age like she did with Cayla. She's a god sent."_

" _I'm just glad I could help."_

 _Andre nodded as he got into his car._

" _See you tomorrow."_

" _Ok. Drive home safe."_

" _Thank you. I will."_

 _Michonne waved and looked on as Andre's car disappeared down the street. She turned around and began walking up the pathway when she looked up and saw Randy glaring suspiciously at her through their bedroom window upstairs._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _The girls stayed in Cayla's room for most of the morning and Randy has been unusually cold and distant towards her. She avoided him as best as she can by checking in on the girls constantly in the rbedoom. When the cool evening began to set in, Cayla and Cindy finally emerged from the room for the activity of bike riding around the front yard._

 _In anticipation of this she made sandwiches and juice for both the girls and herself. Whenever the girls are outside Michonne always makes herself most present outside to supervise and watch over them. Only half an hour had passed when she heard footsteps behind her._

" _Are you two sleeping together?"_

 _Michonne's head snapped back to look at her husband in shock at the absurdity of the question. So shocked she was, that her mouth remained opened unable to answer._

" _I guess that's a yes then."_

 _Finally she was able to speak._

" _No!"_

 _Michonne looked at the girls and saw that they were looking at them briefly before resuming their playing. Michonne spoke softer._

" _I am not having an affair Randy!"_

" _You could have fooled me! You too are always smiling at each other everytime he drops Cindy off. What's up with that?"_

 _Michonne kept her eyes on the girls._

" _He's nice. He smiles at me and I smile back. There's nothing to it."_

 _Randy said nothing further when Cayla came up to them._

" _Mummy…Can we have some ice-cream please?"_

 _Michonne smiled._

" _Sure. The both of you just sit on the steps so I can see you while I go inside to get some."_

 _The girls guided Kiki towards the steps and took a seat within view of the kitchen window. Michonne went inside with Randy following close behind. Making sure that the girls were in her line of sight Michonne quickly retrieved the ice-cream from the refrigerator and two small glass bowls from the cupboard. She began scooping out the ice-cream in between glances at the girls and what she was doing. The girls were preoccupied with tickling Kiki's tummy which the pooch absolutely loved. Randy was there…but he offered no assistance whatsoever._

" _I don't believe you."_

 _Michonne didn't respond._

" _You could tell me you know….if you're sleeping with him. I would understand actually. I have been a lousy husband for the past few weeks. We both know it."_

 _Michonne had no time for Randy's accusations._

" _Can we talk about this later please? I can't supervise the girls...keeping an eye on them and deal with your bullshit at the same time."_

 _Randy got angry at her dismissive tone._

" _No! I want to talk about this now! And how dare you call my concerns bullshit!"_

 _He grabbed Michonne's arm and forced her to face him when she continued to ignore him choosing to keep focused on the girls instead. One of the glass bowls of ice-cream slipped from her hand to the floor from the force of the jerk Randy gave her. Michonne just looked at him pitifully._

" _Don't look at me like that!"_

 _She said nothing as Randy walked off leaving her to clean up the mess that he caused. Michonne bent down to the ground and in a matter of minutes she heard the screeching of tires, Kiki's yelp and Cindy screaming. The screams brought Michonne to her feet in lightning speed as she looked out the kitchen window to where the girls were. What she saw has haunting her for years since that harrowing day._

 _A man with one hand had Cayla in his arms running out of the yard towards his van. His other large gloved hand covered her mouth as her arms are outstretched towards the house and her legs kicking wildly. Kiki, the little pompek tried in vain to mount an attack at the man's legs but the thick jeans were too much for her little teeth as she couldn't get a good grip on him. He kicked her away like insignificant trash and her tiny frame was sent flying into the thick shrubbery at the side of the house. Cindy was at the top of the stairs screaming Cayla's name._

" _Cayla!"_

 _A lump formed in Michonne's throat and she couldn't speak. Instead, tears swelled up in her eyes as her brain adjusted and finally registered what was taking place in front of her. It was every parents nightmare coming through. Something immediately took over Michonne's body. A force drove her as she raced to the front door, stepping in the broken glass on the floor. She didn't feel any physical pain…only a tight squeezing of agony in her chest._

 _She pushed past a hysterical Cindy and jumped over five steps to land in the flat of the yard. Suddenly, there was barking and she realized that Kiki was at it again…her tiny voice carrying a high pitch frequency throughout the evening air. She forced the lump in her throat down into the pit of her stomach and she too found her voice._

" _NOOOOOO! CAYLA!"_

 _Michonne sprinted through her already destroyed wooden fenced at the van which was now beginning to pull away from the curb._

" _STOP! CAYLA!"_

 _Michonne ran as fast as she could down the pavement behind the van as it moved further and further away from her through the street. Tears where stinging her eyes….she couldn't breathe._

" _SOMEBODY HELP ME! THEY HAVE MY DAUGHTER! CAYLA!" She screamed as she passed each house with Kiki faithfully at her feet._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Randy heard his wife when she screamed Cayla's name but by the time he reached back downstairs, he saw the front door wide open and a wailing Cindy infront of it._

" _What happened?! Where's Cayla?!"_

 _Cindy screams only became louder at the mentioned of her friend's name. It was only drowned out by the screams of Michonne. He looked up and saw her running frantic down the street behind a blacked out van with Kiki following her at her side. The colour drained from his face when he realized that Cayla was nowhere in sight_ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Mr. Weekes was watering his lawn when he heard the at first faint screaming of a familiar voice which gradually was getting louder. When he looked up he saw a black van speeding down their usually quiet neighbourhood street towards him and his neighbour Mrs Peters running and screaming desperately behind it._

 _He couldn't hear what she was saying but as the situation drew nearer he realized that it couldn't be anything good. Without giving it a second thought he ran into the house and grabbed his car keys which were hanging by the front door. He jumped into his car, honking his horn loudly to attract others as he reversed savagely out into the street. He heard Michonne screamed out her daughter's name._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Michonne got a brief glimmer of hope when she saw Mr Weekes blue convertible honking loudly and reversing out into the street. She looked down and saw Kiki some distance out in front of her. Cayla had Kiki since she was a pup and they have been inseparable since. Kiki would follow that van until it killed her. She then looked around at the neighbours who were now rushing out of their homes to investigate the commotion in their neighbourhood. She screamed out again._

" _THEY TOOK MY BABY! CAYLA!"_ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _When Mr Weekes pulled out of his yard, he spun the car around and headed straight for the van. He pressed his foot on the gas pedal and gunned it towards the culprits for a game of road chicken. For a second, it looked like neither one of them was going to yield until suddenly the van swerved to the right, up unto the pavement and back into the road behind him._

 _Mr Weekes watched the van pissed and looked back around in time to swerve the car and narrowly miss hitting Kiki to crash into a neighbour's trash can. He jumped out of the car just as Michonne run passed him with a bloody foot trail behind her. He recognized that she was injured. He ran after her with a few neighbours following him._

" _Michonne!"_ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Michonne heard her name being called but it didn't register for her to stop. She now felt moisture under her feet coupled with a burning sensation but she just kept running. Despite her miniature stature Kiki was a cool distance ahead of Michonne, her tiny bark getting lost among the neighbours shouts. Michonne's hope was further shattered when the van disappeared around the corner._

" _Oh God! MY BABY! CAYLA!"_

 _Michonne stretched out her hands infront of her in dreadful despair and suddenly lost her footing because of the blood beneath her feet. She fell hard on her stomach and cried out in pain. Someone grabbed her arm to help her up but she pushed them away. She began running again whimpering in pain when she felt herself being tackled from behind to the ground._

" _Let go of me!" she cried as she fought to get away, clawing at the hot, unforgiving asphalt. It was when her fingers were bloodied and several fingers nails detached itself from the cuticle that all the pain descended on her body at once sharply. She stop fighting, curling her fingers towards her chest for temporary relief. Mr Weekes swallowed up a distraught Michonne in his arms._

" _Oh God Nooooo!" Michonne cried in his arms. A thick crowd of neighbours surrounded Michonne and Mr Weekes in the street. They watched helplessly as Kiki, never breaking her stride disappeared around the corner hot pursuit. Michonne knows Kiki will never give up and she will not either. She tried to wrestle free against Mr Weekes but he held her tightly against him._

" _We will find her!" he whispered in her ear. "We will get her back!"_

 _Michonne cried out again._

" _CAYLA!"_ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***_

Michonne heard the scream of her daughter's name in her head. She tried to breathe but soon realized that she couldn't. Her eyelids were heavy and she forced them open, only to see water all around her. Her eyes shot wide open when she remembered where she was. She was at home in a tub, filled with water.

The water that was covering her mouth was now almost covering her nose. She was drowning in her own tub. Her limbs were also heavy from all the valium she had taken. She wiggled her toes wildly until they found the chain that was attached to the top of the tub and stopper as well. She tugged and tugged and tugged, trying to pull the stopper, atleast slightly open.

The extra movement that she was doing caused her to slide deeper into the tub and her nose was now completely submerged in water. Time was running out. Michonne closed her eyes and concentrated and with one slowly but steady pull, the stopper opened slightly and soon the water sluggishly began to subside. When her nose was finally clear of the water, Michonne inhaled a deep breath and waited for the rest to drain out. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Michonne didn't know when she had fallen back asleep but it was the cold air that woke her up again. The drugs had finally worn off and slowly she got out of the tub which was now empty. She went into the shower, briefly rinsed off the stale water from her skin and quickly got dressed. The morning sun was now fully shining into the room. After a couple of minutes, she went into one of her clothing draws and pulled out one of Cayla's favourite stuff toys. She smelled it and cried out Cayla's name once more then made a promise to herself once more.

"I will find you Cayla! I promise you!" **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**


	6. Chapter 6

**Mirror – Chapter 6**

Rick waited patiently in the prison visitor's room for Abe to come in. While he was there Rick's mind wondered to the woman that fled from the support clinic. Just over one week has passed since that day and he have thought about her every day. He wanted to help her. He needed to help her.

The story Carol told him about her own experience dealing with a case as severe as this frightened him. He didn't want no-one to die...not on his watch. He was tired of all the death and pain and sorrow. He thought about his own loss, his own pain, his own sorrow…how it nearly completely destroyed him and how it caused his best friend to end up in a cage.

Rick heard the door buzzer and turned around to see Abe walking towards him smiling, chess board game in hand. Both he and Abe look forward to these almost weekly visits. Its how they stay in touch…connected and no amount of steel bars could stop that. Rick took the board from him and began setting up for their game. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Abe watched, arms folded across his chest as Rick set up the board for their first match. He noticed that although Rick is physically here, his psyche is elsewhere. He was distracted.

"Stop."

Rick glanced up at Abe briefly but he continued to put the chess pieces on place.

"What? Why?"

"Because if I play I wanna beat you fair and square. No excuses."

Rick looked at him confused.

"What are you taking about?"

"You're not here."

"What do you mean I'm not here?"

"You're here...physically but you're not here _here."_

Putting down the rest of the chess pieces, Rick slowly leaned back into his chair.

"Twenty years of friendship Rick. Twenty years. Talk to me."

Rick looked at his friend. Here it is he's worried about a stranger while his friend is locked up and still he wants to hear his problems.

"Spill it!"

Rick let out a chuckle.

"A few days ago this woman came to the clinic and when I got there Rosita told me that she have been sitting in the waiting area for three hours. So when I approached her she just ran Abe! Straight out of the building! I was so shocked! I've never seen anything like it."

Abe sat up straight to get a better feel of the story.

"What did you do Rick? Did you follow her?"

"Not really but I should have! I should have followed her until I caught up with her." Rick semi yelled at Abe.

The prison guard in the room glared at Rick and he gestured an apology with his hands. Abe saw the look on Rick face and he knew that there was more.

"Go on." Abe encouraged.

"When I went back to where she was sitting, there was an application form and it was soaked through."

"What do you mean soaked through?"

Rick facial expression told him all.

"Oh….tears. She was crying." Abe said softly.

"Yes Abe. And to make matters worse Carol told me of a similar experience with a case she had some years ago."

"And?"

Rick swallowed hard.

"The woman killed herself."

"Well you know what you have to do Rick. Find her."

"How? We don't use surveillance tapes on the floor we are on because I want to maintain confidentiality. We don't actually know who she is. All we could do is hope and pray that she comes back before she's too overwhelmed and ends it all."

"All that doesn't matter Rick. You have to find her. We both know from experience what unchecked and unbridled grief can do. Don't let Carol's experience become yours. Find…her."

Rick knew Abe was right. They do know from experience what grief is and what it does. Suddenly there was loud blaring of alarms in the prison and dozens of guards were seen rushing down the corridor. Five came into the visiting room and began ushering all visitors out.

"Visitation is over!" one of them barked.

"What's going on?" one prisoner asked.

"You all are going back to your cells…NOW!"

The sound of men shouting expletives and things being thrown around can be heard elsewhere in the building.

"Is that a riot?"

"Yeah...mostly likely in the lunch room."

"You!" a guard barked at Rick. "You need to leave!"

Rick was already being shoved halfway out the door. He gave Abe a simple wave and followed the other visitors out the prison to safety. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

As Rick drove down the highway, he tried to compare the different timelines in his life. The life he had when Carl was alive and well…the life he had when Carl died and the life he now has as he has coped with his death. He still thinks about Carl everyday especially when he sees a boy who is the age that Carl would have been if he was alive today. A small tear escaped his eyes as the raw pain of five years ago came whooshing back.

 _ **Five years ago…..**_

" _Jesus Christ! Where is this woman?" Abe exclaimed to Rick's amusement. "Sasha!"_

" _I'm coming!" Sasha screamed from the top bedroom window._

 _A minute later, Abe's and Sasha's 8 year old son Dylan came running out of the house and straight towards the car where Simone was waiting in the driver's seat. Rick's 8 year old son Carl and Simone's 7 year old sister Ellie was also in the car with her._

 _Simone was 18 years old and the full time nanny for the Fords and the Grimes family. Since today is Saturday, it means that it was tennis lessons for the children in the morning after which Simone takes them to her soap making class which she takes in the evening. The children are always excited for Saturdays._

" _Hey Carl! Hey Ellie!" Dylan said as he climbed into the car._

" _Hey Dylan!" they answered in unison. Sasha came walking down the footpath towards them._

" _You know your son is a handful! You should be helping me! Why were you rushing me?"_

" _Because you are late. You're always late!"_

 _Sasha rolled and cut her eyes at her husband, ignoring his comment. She walked up to the car._

" _Hi Simone!"_

" _Hi Mrs Ford."_

" _Can we go now?" Dylan asked impatiently._

 _Sasha gave him the eye and Carl and Ellie giggled at him._

" _I want you guys to behave yourselves and don't give Simone any grief. Ok?"_

 _All three children nodded their heads. Sasha knows that they are well behaved children and Simone have been with them since she was 15 years old. They practically see her as their big sister. When Simone turned eighteen, she offered to continue to babysit for both families and they were happy to accept._

 _Of course she asked for a raise in her pay which they willing agreed to…no questions asked. She was a God sent for the children and they trusted her with them. After the children hugged and kissed their parents, Sasha, Abe and Rick watched as Simone drove off down the street to the days planned activities._

" _Gotta run babe!" Abe said as he smacked Sasha's butt and pulled her in for a kiss._

 _Rick just shook his head and began walking to Abe's car. Embarrassed by what Abe just did in front of Rick, she turned her lips away from Abe's. Not one to be deterred, Abe buried his face into Sasha's neck causing her to giggle like a teenager because his beard was tickling her._

" _Stop!" Sasha squealed._

 _He gave her butt a little pinch._

" _Just a taste of what you're gonna be getting tonight."_

 _They started to kiss deeply as Rick looked on. Rick was jealous of his friend but in a good way. Abe was fortunate to find a woman who loves him, supports him, encourages him as well as call him out on his bullsh*t when she has to. All he has ever gotten from Lori from the moment they began dating till the day they got divorced three years ago was criticism and condemnation on everything. She still criticize and condemn him on his parenting of Carl even now._

 _He could never say the right things or do the right things and she always compared him to her other friends' husbands. There was one particular night the argument got so bad that he told her that if she was so unhappy, she should find someone else. That's exactly what she did. She had an affair with a co-worker._

 _She carried on the affair for months and if it wasn't for Sasha, who saw her publicly holding hands with the man and after telling Abe, insisted on Abe telling him. He will admit that when Abe first told him, he didn't believe him. He always knew Abe didn't like Lori and had told him point blank to him face same._

 _It caused a rift between him and Abe...albeit a temporary one. Rick loved Lori unconditionally and refused to believe that she would do such a thing to him and to their marriage. However when Abe told him that it was Sasha who saw her and told him, he immediately apologized to Abe and confronted Lori._

 _Lori willingly admitted to the affair and Rick was stunned when Lori blamed him directly for her behaviour. Her direct words were:_

' _You told me if I wasn't happy I should find someone else and I did."_

 _Whatever love, forgiveness or empathy he had or wanted to give to Lori dried up that day. He didn't hate her but if he saw her walking towards a cliff he wouldn't have stopped her. He just stopped caring. His hate for Lori came much much later when she blamed him for their son's death. When Abe finally managed to pry himself from his wife they got into the car and left for the self-defense classes that they teach at the local YMCA.~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~_

 _Rick was in the middle of demonstrating a tactical move when he glanced over at his phone briefly for the second time it rang. He nodded at Abe who answered it. It was when Abe roared into the phone that Rick immediately stopped what he was doing. He stared at Abe and saw him turned white as a sheet. A knot formed in his stomach._

" _What is it Abe?!"_

 _He saw Abe was gasping to breathe…struggling to form the words… to talk._

" _Abe!"_

" _There…there…there was an accident!" He finally croaked._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _When Abe and Rick reached at the Savona intersection there was already a massive crowd of people being held back by almost about a dozen officers. They jumped out of the vehicle and pushed their way through the crowd. There were three emergency ambulances there as well._

 _The first thing Rick saw was the tiny feet of a child's body sticking out from under a white sheet on the ground. Rick's knees buckled under him and he began crawling towards the crash but was stopped by another officer._

" _You can't go in there sir!" the officer said blocking him._

 _The next thing Rick saw was Abe pushing pass him in a rage and slugged the officer. Rick shot to his feet and they both ran over. There they saw Rick's mangled car which he had lent Simone to take the kids to tennis practice._

 _Both men started screaming as other officers who also just arrived on the scene tackled them to the ground. They saw blood was slowly pooling on the ground around the wreckage._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

Michonne have been lying down in bed for the past three days. She hasn't eaten since then; she didn't answer any of the dozen phone calls, listened to the voice messages or read any text for the past three days. The conversation she overheard between Officer Walsh and the others wounded her deeply.

They had given up on her daughter…on her. They thought she was hopeless and not worth their time and energy. Tears began swelling in her eyes as she curled herself up in a balled position. She pushed her face into her pillow to stifle her screams and to drown out the growls of her stomach.

She's not going to give up like they have. Cayla is her daughter and in her heart she still believes that she is alive. She has to. It's the only thing she has left. She reached over to her purse on the floor and took out a crumpled flyer. Creasing it out, she read it slowly.

 _ **Child Victims Of Crime**_

 _ **Support Group**_

 _#16 Busby Street,_

 _Newtown_

 _Tel: 555-0931_

Michonne closed her eyes and counted to ten. Then willfully and forcefully she threw her legs over the side of the bed and pushed herself to sit up. She looked at the flyer again and kissed it. This was the only chance she has. It was her last chance...her last hope **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

The loud blaring of a horn cut through Rick's private thoughts causing him to swerve off the road and stopped abruptly unto the shoulder of the road. A large lorry truck sped passed him. He closed his eyes to clear his mind and steady his thoughts. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Michonne looked at the building that housed the CVOC support group. The building looked intimidating and she was starting to get cold feet. Going to this group means exposing herself…her pain infront of total strangers and she doesn't know if she is ready for that.

She watched for several minutes as persons come and go in and out trying to figure out which ones came from the CVOC or from other companies that were located inside there. Before she completely lost her nerve, Michonne briskly walked across the street and marched into the building.

After passing through the security scanners in the lobby she walked up the flight of stairs and straight up to the receptionist desk. The young woman, who was there, back was turned towards her as she packed some files in the shelf behind her.

"Can I have an application form please?" Michonne asked as confidently and calmly as possible.

"Just one minute please." The woman responded politely while continuing to do what she was doing.

Michonne looked around as she shifted uncomfortably on her feet. The urge to bolt again was building up inside of her. She was also scared of seeing the man who almost chased after her the first time she came here. He frightened her. Looking back at the young lady still packing her shelf Michonne tapped her fingers on the edge of the reception counter...waiting patiently. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Rosita heard the drumming of the fingers behind her and turned around to see who it was. She instantly froze on seeing that face again but she quickly composed herself. She picked up a form and walking around her work station Rosita handed it to the woman. She ushered the woman inside of the CVOC hall immediately instead of the reception area.

"Please have a seat in here. Someone will be there with you shortly."

"Aren't I suppose to wait in the reception area first?"

"Generally yes but not today. You need to sit in the CVOC hall."

"Ok." Michonne said reluctantly as she allowed Rosita to guide her to the hall. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Still parked at the side of the road Rick glanced at his phone and picked it up on the first ring when he recognized it as one of CVOC numbers. Before he could even speak the voice spoke hurriedly.

"Rick! She's here! The woman is here! She's back! Where are you?!"

"On my way!" Rick said and he slammed his foot on the gas pedal and sped off the shoulder and bolted down the highway. "Call Carol and Karen now!"

"Ok."

"And Rosita…whatever you do…don't let her leave."

"Trust me Rick. I wouldn't let that happen again." **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**


	7. Chapter 7

**Mirror – Chapter 7**

Michonne looked at the form that she had only filled out halfway. She was stuck on question number 11 which asked how did your child died with only two options – a) Accidental or b) Criminal.

Although the question appeared blunt and crude, she knew that this information was needed to assess all applicants needs correctly. However, that didn't prevent tears from forming in her eyes as the most painful answer to the question applied to her. She pushed the application form away from her unto the other seat beside her and exhaled slowly trying to calm the rapid beat of her heart, trying desperately to catch her breath. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Rosita looked anxiously at the clock on the wall behind her as well as discreetly monitoring their newest member. Carol and Karen had just arrived ten minutes earlier and instructed her to inform them the minute Rick arrived. Rosita saw when the woman pushed the application form aside and became worried. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Rick hastily pulled up in the car-park and parked his car. He dashed into the building and sprinted up the stairs and saw Rosita pacing outside the door of the CVOC room. When she saw him, she rushed up in a damn near panic.

"What's wrong? Rick asked breathlessly. "Did she leave?"

"No. She's still here but she was filling out the form and then stopped suddenly. I was afraid that she was going to bolt again!"

"Where is Carol and Karen? Are they here yet?"

"Yes and they want to see you."

"Ok."

Rick walked towards Carol's office and Rosita resumed her spying. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

Michonne opened her eyes as her heartbeat finally started to beat at a steady speed. She got up and began walking around the room. She looked at the different award plaques on the walls and a small smile appeared on her lips. Maybe it was a good sign…that she was meant to be here. Maybe she will finally get the help that she needs.

Michonne walked further down the wall and saw a picture of three people who were labelled as the co-founders of the CVOC support group…a man and two women. She didn't recognize the women but her eyes widen on recognition of the man. Her eyes glanced down to the name written below identifying him.

Rick Grimes. His name is Rick Grimes. Pulling out her phone, Michonne punched in his name and did a quick name search. She gasped, covering her mouth at the headline of the first article to pop up. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Carol rose from behind her desk to greet Rick. She saw the relief on Rick's face.

"I can safely presume she's still here."

"Yes." Rick said trying to suppress a smile. "How are we going to handle this?"

"I don't know her or her case. I can't assess her just like that. I need to observe her if she stays for today's session."

"If?" Rick asked, eyes narrowing at Carol.

"Yes Rick…If. There is a strong possibility that when we walk into that room…she could be gone….again."

Rick put his hands on his hips and Carol continued.

"But…the fact that she returned is a good sign."

Carol, Rick and Karen looked at each other.

"Shall we?" Karen asked, gesturing to the door. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

Rosita saw Rick and the others coming out of Carol's office and walked up to them.

"She's still here and we have four other new members as well as eight of our regular members today."

"Ok. Finish registering the new members and usher them inside."

"Ok."

Rosita, Carol and Karen looked on as Rick approached the door. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Michonne heard voices coming from behind the door. Using her fingers, Michonne scrolled quickly through the article about Rick Grimes, her eyes glistening over as certain words jumped out at her _…3 children…no survivors….closed casket._

She swallowed hard. Suddenly, someone touched her on her shoulder causing her to scream out, dropping her phone simultaneously. She turned around, clutching her chest, wide eyed. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Rick immediately rushed to pick up the phone that fell from the woman's hand, apologizing profusely at the same time.

"Oh God! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to frighten you!"

Rick handed the phone back to the woman who was staring at him. Her hands were shaking, still clutching her chest. After a few seconds, her eyes slid down to the Rick's extended hand with her phone in it. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

"I'm sorry."

Rick said again softly and calmly as possible to soothe the woman. She only stared at him and he was praying that he didn't do any more emotional damage to her. Slowly she reached out and took the phone from him, but he noticed that she was careful not to touch him.

"Thank you." Michonne said softly.

"My name is Rick Grimes but you could just call me Rick. We go on a first name basis here to make everyone feel as comfortable as possible."

Rick saw the woman relaxed abit and he was so happy to see that.

"And you are?" He prodded gently.

"Michonne."

Rick extended his hand to her again, smiling at her. She shook it.

"Very nice to meet you Michonne and welcome to our support group.

Michonne smiled slightly and both heads turned to the sound of voices coming through the door. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

Carol was the first one through the door and saw Rick shaking a woman's hand. From Rosita's description over the phone Carol knew that it was the woman who had fled from Rick. She nodded in their direction while stepping aside for the other persons to come through.

One by one, person's old and new members began taking their desired seats. Carol watched as Rick showed Michonne to a seat where he could have a clear view of her from where he usually sits at the front. Michonne quickly diverted abit to collect her incomplete form, walked back over and handed it to Rick with hesitation. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~**

"I am sorry but it's incomplete." Michonne said looking down at the form.

"It's ok."

"I couldn't get pass question 11."

Without turning around, Rick handed the paper to the back of him and it was collected by Rosita.

"Question 11 is one of the hardest of all. Answering it actually lends credence to why people come here. It makes everything real. No-one here wants that."

Michonne nodded in humble agreement.

"I want you to know that the first sessions for new persons are always the hardest and because of that we encourage persons to cry if they have to. It helps to break the ice among the members and the older ones gives support to the newer ones."

Michonne looked around at the other members.

"That's nice. Some of us need that support to actually keep on breathing...living."

"I know." Rick said pausing abit. "Are you one of those people...who need help to keep on living?"

Michonne turned her head around quickly to face Rick and he saw that her eyes were brimming with tears.

"Yes."

"Then you are in the right place. I will help you." **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Everyone was seated and a new member stood up and introduced herself. She was trembling and her eyes were red and puffy.

"My name is Petra."

"Hi Petra!" everyone said in unison.

"I lost my daughter to a drowning accident while she was on a school fishing trip. Her name was Arya and she was 8 years old."

As the woman continued to relate her story Rick glanced over at Michonne observing her. She was wringing her hands vigorously infront of her on her lap and it appeared as she was gasping….having difficulty in breathing. She closed her eyes and he looked over at Carol who was also observing Michonne as well. Carol looked at him and then back at the woman who was relating her story.

"The coast guards did their best to find her body to no avail. Her body was found four days later when the tide brought it back in."

Petra burst into tears.

"Her face was unrecognizable. The autopsy said that it was possible that her body was smashed upon the rocks before sinking to the ocean floor."

Some of the members of the group stood up to comfort her except for Michonne. Carol whispered to Rick who was now practically staring at Michonne.

"I don't think she's going to make it through this first session. We need to call for a break so she could catch herself."

"I agree." Rick murmured to her. Karen nodded in agreement and announced to the group that there would be a ten minute recess. Carol and Karen made their way across to Michonne who had her face buried in her hands.

"Hi."

Michonne looked up and saw the two ladies from the picture on the wall standing before her.

"I'm Carol and this is Karen."

Michonne stood up.

"Michonne."

"Yes. Rick told us." Michonne glanced over to Rick and saw that he was speaking to other persons. He glimpsed over at her, smiling gently…his blue eyes warm and welcoming. She turned away to face the ladies again. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Rick saw when his colleagues walked over to Michonne. The usual policy is that since Carol and Karen didn't suffer the emotional trauma like their clients that it would be best for them and particularly Carol to make the first initial contact with all new members so that she can assess their emotional level and plot a course of personalized treatment if it is needed.

The only reason that Carol allowed him to speak to her again before the meeting was to show Michonne that although she had fled from him previously, she had nothing to fear from Rick and to comfort her that she will get the help and support she so desperately needs. He turned away from them to greet other new members and saw that Jessie was approaching him. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

"So…what do you think about the group?" Karen asked.

"You have something really good going on here."

"Thank you. I know that this is your first day but how have you been holding up so far?"

"Difficult..." Michonne said looking away briefly at the other people in the room like her and to quickly wipe away resurfacing tears. "Being in a room so full of pain and hurt and anger and grief…where everyone had such different experiences and felt different things at different times but have all come together collectively for help…for a single solution."

"That's what it's all about."

"It's unnerving." Michonne whispered. "I felt like I was suffocating. I couldn't breathe."

"Yes. I saw that." Carol said as a matter of factly.

Michonne looked at her.

"My primary goal here Michonne is to interact and assess new members." Carol explained. "In addition to group session, I develop individual grief counselling plans to help persons who may need it."

Michonne pondered on her words.

"Does it actually work? These plans?"

"Well most people don't require it. What most people tend to need is a safe, confidential place to cry without being judged or seen as overly dramatic and to ask the general questions of who, what, why, when and how."

"Which question is most common?"

Carol looked at Michonne solemnly.

"The question of _why_?"

There was a moment of pondering by Michonne.

"What about the others...the ones who need individual counselling plans? What questions do they need answered?"

"Just one question. They ask the question of self-blame."

"Which is?"

"What if?"

Both Karen and Carol knew they hit a nerve when Carol said those two words when they saw Michonne swallowed hard.

"Some people tend to blame themselves asking…what if they had done this instead of that or what if they had walked instead of taking a taxi or what if they were paying closer attention instead of looking away for a milli second."

"Oh…"

A minute of silence grew heavy between them until Rick came over.

"I think we could resume session."

"Ok." Karen said as she began ushering person back to their seats. Michonne sat down quietly in her seat, leaving Carol mulling over their conversation in her mind. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Twenty minutes had passed with three other new members introducing themselves…one of them being a man named Neil. It was uncanny seeing a man cried for his son who died when his babysitter shook him to death because he wouldn't stop crying. It was also refreshing to see a man openly cry instead of playing macho. Cayla's own father didn't cry for her when she was taken although he claimed he did when he was alone.

The man, who was sitting just one seat away from her dropped to his knees and cried and Michonne reached out and engulfed into her arms, she herself crying into his shoulders. She held him there and rocked him gently as another new member stood up and began relaying her story. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Neil pulled away from Michonne.

"Thank you." He said softly.

"You're welcome."

"Michonne?"

Michonne's head snapped around to the sound of Rick's voice.

"Do you want to share your story with us?"

Michonne looked around at the smiling faces of the other members around her. Some were nodding and smiling, encouraging her to share.

"Please?" Rick asked.

Michonne saw the kindness in his eyes but she just wasn't ready to open up as yet. She began wringing her hands in her laps again and feeling flustered. Carol noticed and intervened.

"You don't have to share anything if you are not ready Michonne. Take your time."

Michonne nodded and closed her eyes. Karen looked at the time and indicated to her colleagues that it was time to wrap up the session. One of the members Jessie quickly offered to say the evening prayer to close off. Everyone bowed their heads and Jessie began. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Jessie was only three sentences into the prayer when Michonne opened her eyes. She looked around and saw everyone with their eyes closed and their heads bowed. She was drained emotionally from all the stories she had heard today and she needed some time to herself.

She will admit that she doesn't have any regrets about coming to this support group and she will come back again sometime soon. However, she will not deny that it was abit too much for her at this present time.

She knows that she is not the only parent to lose a child under any circumstances but she was just so use to walking this lonely road alone. The one person who she wanted to share her pain with abandoned her and since then she hasn't shared or let anyone in.

Michonne quietly picked up her bag from the nearby chair and shift uncomfortably. She wanted to leave, before Carol and Karen and maybe also Rick swarm her again. She realized that Carol had taken an interest in her and she suspected that it was because of Rick, who most likely told them of her fleeing the building on her earlier visit some time ago.

Her only way out is to leave…leave now, when no-one was looking and the exit would be clean. She will answer any questions they had on her next visit. She looked around one more time and seeing the coast was clear, she slowly slipped off her seat and headed towards the door.

When Michonne pushed the door open, she felt a knot in the pit of her stomach and when she turned around, a pair of baby blues was looking straight at her. She froze as she didn't know if to return to her seat or to bolt again. She just stood there looking at him and he at her. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

It was sheer luck that made Rick open his eyes and he was shocked to see Michonne's seat empty and her sneaking out before the prayer was over. He had decided that if she didn't look back that he was going to let her leave peaceful as it seemed to be her wish but he prayed for the opposite…that she would look back and see him and his prayers were answered. He got up and walked towards her unaware that he had bumped slightly into Carol sitting next to him. She opened her eyes slightly and turned her head. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

"I'm sorry." Michonne whispered…looking up to Rick when he got near her.

When he said nothing, she looked away but was taken by surprise when he gently took her hand and led her out of the room and into the corridor. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Rosita was on the phone, giving out direction to the building location when she saw Rick walked out of the room with her former spy target in tow. She wasn't too concerned until she saw that he was holding her hand. Rick glanced at Rosita and she smiled at him. Rick led the woman towards the stairs and they disappeared. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

Michonne's mind was racing as she followed Rick down the stairs towards the lobby of the building. With each step they took, she was beginning to feel more ashamed of her actions. The least she could have done was to stay and mingle with the others and say goodbye to Carol and Karen.

"I'm sorry." Michonne offered again.

Rick didn't answer. Instead, he looked back at her smiling and squeezed her hand. Taking that as a good faith gesture of him acknowledging her apology, Michonne smiled back. Seconds later, they were in the lobby. They walked across the lobby and Rick paused by the large revolving glass doors. He turned to her.

"Do you have a car?"

"No. I took a taxi to come here."

"Ok."

Rick guided her out the door to the pavement and hailed a passing taxi. Rick opened the door but stopped Michonne from getting in confusing her.

"I know today was overwhelming but I don't want you to give up on us. We can help you. I want to help you."

"Why? Because you lost someone too?"

The question took Rick by surprise and despite his best efforts, his face betrayed him and Michonne saw the uncomfortableness of the question. She instantly had regrets obout her statement.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

She turned to get into the taxi and he stopped her again.

"To answer your question...yes. It is because I lost someone very very close to me and it was the grief that motivated me to co-found this group with Carol and Karen…to help people like me…like us."

Michonne nodded, accepting his explanation. Rick pulled out a card and pressed it in her hands.

"This is my personal number. You can call me anytime…day or night if you ever need to talk." He paused. "I will be seeing you again at the next session…right?"

"Yes."

Rick smiled. Michonne got into the taxi and it drove off. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

Rick had barely walked through his office door when Carol came in behind him. She closed the door for privacy.

"What?" Rick asked.

"Don't get attached Rick. It's not healthy for you or for her."

"When have I ever gotten attached to any of our clients?"

"Never…until now!"

Rick took a seat behind his desk saying nothing.

"I'm just trying to help her."

"That's what you keep telling yourself but I am seeing it. You're emotionally involved and it could lead to other types of involvement. We need to keep the integrity of this place intact."

"And we will."

Carol frowned at him before turning to leave.

"Don't get involved Rick. Promise me."

Carol left the office without receiving a reply. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***


	8. Chapter 8

**Mirror – Chapter 8**

 _ **Four years ago…**_

 _The police arrived ten minutes later to the Peters home after Cayla's abduction. They had sealed off the area as an active crime scene. The ambulance arrived five minutes after the police and was for the past ten minutes trying to calm Michonne down._

 _As neighbours gathered around, some of them were crying while others clutched on to their children for dear life. This is the first time anything like this has happened in their neighbourhood._

 _The men gathered around Randy as he sat on the steps of their next door neighbour Mr Andrews for support. He had tried to comfort Michonne before the police had arrived but all she did was scream hysterically for their daughter._

 _Although he had tears in his eyes, he didn't show his grief as expressly as Michonne. It was all too much for him and Mr Weekes took over comforting Michonne until the ambulance arrived. Rhonda, one of their neighbours took over the care of Cindy until her father arrived._

 _She was in a catatonic state. Once Michonne was sedated she was placed on a stretcher and they began treating the wounds to her hands and feet. Another EMT personel was also attending to Cindy when Andre arrived._

 _His panic went into overdrive when he saw the amount of people gathered at Michonne's house._

' _Cindy!'_

 _The sound of her father voice snapped Cindy out of her trance and she began wailing again, crying out Cayla's name. Andre followed the distressed voice and pushed through the crowd and rushed into his daughter's arms. Cindy wrapped her arms around her father's neck tight and she didn't want to let go._

" _I'm here! Daddy's here!" Andre cried._

" _They took Cayla!" she wept as Andre continuously wiped the streaming tears from her face._

 _He picked her up in his arms and walked over the where the EMTs were attending to Michonne. She was fully sedated. He held her hands tightly. Semper, one of the neighbour's 19 year old son came up to them with Kiki in his arms. Her paws were bloodied and raw and one on her legs were broken._

 _Unknown to them, he had took off running after the black van and Kiki when they had disappeared around the corner. He followed the dog as closely as he can but she had disappeared as well._

 _He found her three blocks later whining loudly from her injuries next to the abandoned black van that was used to take Cayla. There was alittle blood on the ground next to the van and Kiki also had blood in her mouth._

" _They change vehicles and there was a little blood on ground. I think she bit one of the men who took Cayla!" He said anxiously._

 _The EMT immediately took several blood swab samples from the dog's mouth and began attending to her leg and paws._

" _Take us to where you found the dog!" an officer commanded._

 _Semper left with three officers and a CSI officer. One of the EMTs instructed Andre with Cindy and Randy to follow them to the hospital and they need to check both Cindy and Randy extensively for emotional trauma. Andre offered Randy a lift in his car but he sulkily declined._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _At the hospital, after examining Michonne, three senior doctors strongly recommend that she be put on immediate suicide watch. Cindy and Kiki were attended too separately and one doctor recommended that Kiki be given to Cindy as a source of comfort and strength to the little girl._

 _Upon seeing Kiki, Cindy burst into tears of joy as she hugged the dog. Kiki licked Cindy's tears nonstop. When asked, Randy had no objections to Cindy keeping Kiki until Michonne is awake. Cindy was kept overnight for observation and it was noted that she seems to be doing better whenever Kiki was around._

 _Michonne however woke up several times during the night screaming for Cayla and clawing at herself. She was given a large dose of medication to keep her from hurting herself. When Andre was given the all clear to eventually take Cindy home he asked Randy's permission for him to also take Kiki with him…for Cindy's sake._

 _Randy grudgingly agreed but strongly stated that the dog doesn't belong to her. Andre took note and he left the hospital._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _ **Three days later….**_

 _For the past two days, doctors and nurses have been carefully monitoring Michonne's vital signs. Police detectives have been visiting the hospital several times during the day over the two days, checking up on her, anxious to talk to her to get crucial information on anything she may have seen or remembered during Cayla's abduction. The quicker they get as much information as possible, the faster they can work on finding her. It was now day three and Officer Walsh had just walked into the hospital room with a bit of good news._

" _How is she?"_

" _Is it wrong for me not to want her to wake up? To face this nightmare?"_

" _I think it is wrong for anyone to face this nightmare. She may be sedated but I am sure Cayla is still on her mind."_

 _Suddenly they heard a weak groan and they turned to see Michonne's eyes slowly opening up. Randy held her hand and showered it with some kisses._

" _Baby! I'm here."_

 _Michonne smiled weakly at him and looked at the other man in the room. The man was dressed in plain clothes._

" _Who's this?" she whispered._

 _Officer Walsh stepped forward showing his police ID card._

" _My name is Officer Walsh and I have a bit of good news for you both. The blood where the van was abandoned…"_

 _Michonne'e eyes leaped fully opened now._

" _Blood? What blood?!"_

 _She tried to get up but Randy gently but forcefully pushed her back down on the bed. Randy looked up at the officer to continue speaking._

" _We found blood at the scene where the van that took your daughter was abandoned. The dog Kiki also attacked one of the persons who took her. The blood wasn't Cayla's so at this point we are working on the positive assumption that she's still alive."_

" _Do you know whose blood it is?" Randy asked._

" _We are running it through every database we have locally and internationally. No hits yet. I'm sorry."_

 _Michonne reached her hand up to Officer Walsh and he rushed to hold it._

" _Please find my baby!" Michonne cried. "Please! She's all I have!"_

" _I will do my best Mrs Peters. We will not rest until she is in your arms again."_

 _Officer Walsh spent the next 45 minutes questioning Michonne as gently and as thoroughly as he can. When Michonne expressed that she was tired, he stopped and promised to come back. Michonne was allowed to go home and two days later Andre came over to visit bringing Cindy and Kiki with him._

 _Randy wasn't pleased with his unannounced visit but was careful not to show it infront of Michonne. He left the room. When Cindy saw Michonne, the little girl ran into her arms with Kiki and began crying._

" _I'm sorry I couldn't stop them from taking Cayla!" the little girl cried._

 _Tears welled up in Michonne's eyes and when she looked up, she saw Andre turning away from them trying to hide his own. She comforted Cindy and in the process was comforting herself as well._

" _Hey, it is not your fault what happened to Cayla! Don't blame yourself! I don't blame you and Cayla wouldn't blame you."_

" _Are they going to find her?!"_

 _Michonne choked back her own doubts. She remembered the conversations that she have with the police countless of times. They had told her the longer a child remains missing the chances of her being found alive diminishes. She understood what that meant but a five year old wouldn't. She is not going to take hope…albeit a false one away from Cindy._

" _Yes they will find her and when they do you and I will be the first ones to hug her…ok?!"_

 _Cindy wiped away her tears. Michonne hugged Kiki, who have been squirming in Cindy's arms since she got here. As soon as she put her down, Kiki dashed up the stairs and Cindy followed her._

 _Michonne didn't have too. She already knows where the dog was going. Michonne now turned her attention to Andre who had stepped outside._

" _Hey."_

 _Andre turned around and faced Michonne with bloodshot eyes._

" _Hey." He croaked._

 _Then he walked over to Michonne and engulfed her in his arms._

" _I'm so sorry Michonne!"_

 _Michonne buried her face in shoulders._

" _Where is she?! Where is Cayla!"_

 _With that Michonne began crying again._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

Rick found himself distracted today. In fact he has been distracted since their last CVOC meeting. All he could think of was Michonne. He wondered if she was ok and if she would really show up for their next meeting and if she would continue to show up.

He picked up the phone to make a call when there was a knock on his door.

"Come in."

The door opened and in walks Jessie.

"Hi!" she said chirpily. "I came by to pick up a few forms and flyer from the clinic to hand out."

Rick cocked his head at Jessie. She was one of their new active clients and had taken an interest in helping out the clinic by giving out fliers and forms about the clinic whenever they can. Their efforts have helped the clinic tremendously as they can give first hand testimony to potential clients about how the clinic has helped them so far.

"Thank you Jessie. The work you and the others have been doing for the clinic is invaluable."

Jessie blushed although Rick didn't understand why.

"Thank you Rick. I'm just glad to help out. The work you, Carol and Karen is helping a lot of people."

"That's our aim."

Jessie smiled and after a few minutes of silence in the office, she spoke again.

"My family is having a small get together at my aunt's place. I was wondering…if you are not busy Sunday night, you could probably come."

Rick smiled.

"I might have plans."

"Oh…ok." The disappointment was evident in her voice as she rose from her seat. "See you at the next meeting."

Rick nodded and she left. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Abe was surprised when he was told that he had a visitor. It was not the usual day that Rick would visit him. When he walked into visitors' room and upon seeing who it was, he sucked in his breath. She is still beautiful as the last time he saw her. It was his wife Sasha. **~*~*~*~*~*~***

They sat looking at each other for the past ten minutes.

"What are you doing here Sasha?" He asked softly. "I told you not to come."

"So your best friend gets to visit you almost every week and your wife can't?!"

Abe leaned forward.

"Because I don't want my wife to see me in here like this. In a cage like an animal!"

Sasha caught a hint of annoyance in Abe's voice but she didn't care.

"For better or for worst…remember?"

"I just don't want your perception of me to change. I don't want you to resent me for making you come here to visit me."

"I love you Abe that's why I married you and after all these years you think a steel cage is going to change my perception of you? Do you have any idea how hurtful that is? It's like you don't know me at all."

Abe looked away not to face Sasha's disappointment. She was right. Sasha leaned forward to him now and spoke softly.

"I never criticize you for what you did. That young man deserved what he got. I am glad he's dead! His family helped him cover up a crime…a crime that took our son away from us and I miscarried our daughter from all the stress they caused me to go through. They took both of our children and it was only fair they lose someone they loved too. The courts didn't give us justice but you got justice…for us and for Rick. My only regret is that you're in here with real criminals. You don't belong in here."

Abe looked into Sasha's fierce eyes. She had never wavered in her support for him during his trial. They were all grieving for the loss of their children, Simone and her sister. It was after Sasha miscarried at 5 months pregnant with their daughter that he hatched a plan in his head that enough was enough. Sasha temporarily spiralled out of control after her miscarriage and Abe was done losing.

He never told Rick what he was doing because he had enough on his plate with Lori suing him in civil court directly blaming him for Carl's death. Plus he wanted Rick to have plausible deniability when the sh*t hits the fan as with Sasha.

When he was arrested at his home, Sasha was shocked at first but she never left his side. While he was in holding, he and Rick argued loudly about what he had done and why he didn't let him in on his plans.

Abe said that he couldn't…not with all the crap he was going through with Lori. Losing a child could be tough but having the other parent blaming you for your child's death and even going to the extreme as taking it to court was unthinkable and unforgivable.

That's why he didn't tell him and that's why he didn't tell Sasha. When the evidence was brought forward which he never denied, he was charged with involuntary manslaughter although his victim's family clamoured for murder.

However, Sasha's went to the newspapers, CNN and other media outlets and presented his case in the court of public opinion. Rick soon joined her and after three months of intense public pressure Abe was charged with Reckless Endangerment of Life which carried the maximum sentence of three years.

Because of the charge, the choice of early release comes automatically after serving two years once Abe keeps the peace. Once that is done, the extra year will be automatically shaved off of his sentence. By this count, Abe only has 6 more months to go once he behaves himself.

When Sasha reached over and held Abe's hand, one of the guards looked over at them, disapprovingly. No touching was allowed. Sasha glanced at the guard defiantly and he turned his head away ignoring the infraction being committed.

"I am tired of all the messages you send to me through Rick. You love me so tell me in person. I want to hear you say it with my own ears. I love Rick to death but the words doesn't mean as much as when it comes directly from you."

"Visiting time is over!" a guard announced loudly.

Abe, his fellow prisoners and their visitors all began walking towards the door. Sasha was walking ahead of Abe when suddenly he grabbed her and pulled her towards him. He lifted her up against his body and Sasha wrapped her legs around his waist.

They lips connect and they began kissing deeply. Their actions shocked the guards in their positions temporarily. The other prisoners, seeing this, took the same opportunity and grabbing their significant other and began mimicking Abe and Sasha.

The other guards looked at their senior officer looking for confirmation to move in and breakup the contact between the prisoners and their visitors. Surprisingly, Officer Quashie merely shook his head, for the officers to stand down.

So for five full minutes there was a full on kissing and grope fest in the visitors room with Abe and seven other prisoners with their wives, girlfriend and fiancées. When some of the other prisoners began to get x-rated with their display of affection Officer Quashie stepped in.

"Ok! That's enough!"

As the other prisoners and spouses began filing out of the room, Abe and Sasha was the last to detach their lips.

"I love you Sasha Zoe Ford."

Sasha kissed him again.

"I love you too."

Slowly unwrapping her legs from around his waist, Abe lowered his wife to the floor. They walked past Officer Quashie and Abe watched as Sasha disappeared down the corridor. Abe was escorted back to his cell.

As he lay on his bed, Abe smiled. He wondered what kind of punishment would be given to him and the other prisoners for breaking the no contact rule. He found out later on that night when him and the seven other defiant prisoners went to bed without dinner. The other punished prisoners protested loudly for their dinners but it was to no avail. Abe didn't join them.

He however was given an additional punishment of no breakfast the next morning for their defiance as well as the supposed leader of their mini rebellion. Although he was famished he had made up his mind to suffer through it…he got to kiss his wife. That is worth any punishment dished out by the guards.

Lucky for him though, he didn't stay hungry for long as members of the mini coup slipped him bread, scrambled eggs and other portions of their breakfast to him under the table when the guards wasn't looking.

Unbeknownst to them, they were seen by Officer Quashie who was looking down on them from the room overlooking the lunch room. He just merely shook his head with a smile on his face.


	9. Chapter 9

**Mirror – Chapter 9**

Michonne was about to begin preparing for lunch when her phone rang. She recognized the number as from the CVOC Centre and wondered who could be calling her from there. It has been just over a week since their last meeting.

It was overwhelming for her but she did feel somewhat better that she wasn't alone. She has always known that she wasn't the only parent to lose a child but seeing a group of them in one place, expressing and sharing their pain was surprisingly therapeutic.

Rick wanted her to share her story but she wasn't quite ready to do that as yet. It was too soon…too soon to expose herself to people she had just met. She answered the phone cautiously.

"Hello?"

"Hi. Michonne?"

"Yes."

"It's me…Rick."

"Oh. Hi. How are you?"

"I am fine. I was just calling to check up on you. How are you?"

"I'm ok."

"I hope your first meeting wasn't too heavy for you."

"I will admit…it was very intense. So much emotions jammed into one room. I'm not use to that. Just accustomed to me crying all alone…by myself."

Rick didn't know what to say to Michonne's words. Hearing her say that she had adapted to being alone in her pain without a shoulder to cry on unnerved him.

"For what it's worth, you handled your first day well. Better than most people I have seen for a long time."

Michonne chuckled.

"Thanks."

"Are you coming for the next meeting?"

"Yes. I would like too."

"Would you be sharing your story with us?"

Michonne paused before speaking.

"I don't know. I don't think I'm ready to."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Why did you run the first time you came?"

"Truthfully, I was afraid. I was afraid of coming here and getting disappointed again. There are people out there who are supposed to help you and they don't. They say that they will infront of your face and then laugh at you behind your back. Some people claim to want to help you and then disappear on you when you need them the most. The only person I could rely on is me."

"If you feel that way, why did you come back?"

Michonne remained mum on Rick's question.

"Michonne?"

"I took some pills, filled the bathtub with water and got in."

"You tried to kill yourself?!"

"I was at my lowest point in my life Rick. I decided to let fate determine what happens next."

Michonne heard stark silence on the other end of the phone.

"Rick?"

"I'm here." He muttered.

"Let's put it this way…if I had succeeded all my pain would have ended. If not then I vowed to keep on fighting for Cayla whether she's dead or alive."

"Cayla? Is that your daughter's name?"

"Yes."

"It's a beautiful name."

"Thank you. Randy hated it. He wanted to name her Abigail."

"Who's Randy?"

My husband. Sorry…ex-husband and Cayla's father."

Rick said nothing. He had initially planned to read the form she had filled out but got distracted by Jessie and he never got around to actually reading it again. However, he was glad it worked out like that. He preferred talking to Michonne directly, getting to know her.

"How old was Cayla when…?"

Michonne didn't wait for him to finish the sentence.

"Five. She turned 9 5 months ago." She paused. "Enough about me and my grief. Tell me about you. What's your story?"

"What do you want to know?"

"Anything."

"Well like you, I'm divorced."

"Go on."

"Also like you as you already know, I lost a child."

"Boy or a girl?'

"A boy. His name was Carl."

Michonne's mind flashed back to the article that she had briefly skimmed through before the meeting when Rick startled her. It mentioned three children with no survivors. She was tempted to ask him about the other children but decided against it.

"I'm sorry for your loss Rick."

"Thanks."

Suddenly Rick's doorbell rang.

"Can you hold on for a minute. Someone's at the door."

"Sure."

Michonne heard when Rick walked to the door and answered it. Then she heard a female voice. She was asking for his help.

"Hey. I'm sorry but I have to go. My next door neighbour is asking for my help."

"That's ok. Thanks for checking up on me."

"I will be calling on you again if that's ok with you."

"I really appreciate that."

With that Rick was gone. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Michonne was just stepping out to go to the grocery store when the postman Larry walked up her driveway. She saw the look on his face and she knew what that meant. He handed her the small brown envelope.

Michonne smiled weakly at him and went back inside. Once safely behind closed doors, she opened the envelope and its contents gave her a little bit more hope. In addition to the address it had an article of clothing…torn piece of a dirty pink blouse.

She couldn't tell if it was the same clothing that Cayla was wearing when she was taken but she was wearing pink. She exhaled slowly and reached for her phone to call Officer Walsh. Then she remembered what he and the other officers said. They didn't want to be here and she wasn't going to beg them. Instead she dialled Rick's number.

"Hey."

"Hey."

Rick heard the tremor in her voice.

"Are you ok" What's wrong?"

"Can you meet me? Please?"

"Yes. I can. Where and when." **~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

It was around 4 pm when Rick drove up into the parking lot of Westside Supermarket. Michonne was standing outside the grocery with her thick jacket pulled tightly over her. He parked and rushed up to her. Before he could speak, she pushed the envelope at him.

"Can you take me here?"

Rick read the note.

 _ **Vikings Trace**_

 _ **St Andrews County**_

 _ **First empty lot on the right**_

 _ **Eastern side**_

"What's here?"

"Could be my daughter." **~*~*~*~*~*~***

It was 5:30pm when Rick and Michonne turned down into Vikings Trace in St Andrews County. Straight ahead, they saw two police cruisers and four officers. They were dressed in plain clothes. Michonne immediately recognized one of the officers. It was Shane. She jumped out of the car and rushed furiously towards him. Rick called out after her.

"Michonne!" **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Shane raised his head just in time to see Michonne coming angrily towards him with another man following close behind.

"F*ck!" he muttered under his breath. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

"What are you doing here?!"

The officers stopped digging and looked from Shane to the woman and then back to him again. Michonne finally reached to where they were standing.

"What are you doing here?!"

Michonne's voice was almost in a high pitch.

"Ms Moore. I am here on a tip concerning your daughter."

She was taken aback abit and looked at him. Her eyes narrowed when he pulled out an envelope just like Michonne's. She stared down at it bewildered. A note was never sent to anyone else before. It only came to her and her alone. Then rage washed over her once again. She grabbed it out of her hands. Rick was by her side.

"What's going on here?"

Michonne ignored Rick focusing all her energies on Shane.

"This still doesn't explain why _**you**_ are here!"

"I just…"

"You said that you didn't want to be apart of this anymore! You said that it was a waste of time looking for Cayla!" Rick looked at Shane who went red with embarrassment.

"Ms Moore…what you heard was taken out of context!"

 _Whack._

Michonne slapped Shane hard across his face. Rick stood there…stunned. From the corner of his eyes Shane saw one of the officers took a step towards them. He held out one hand to stop him while using the other to rub his burning cheeks.

"I may be grieving but that doesn't mean I'm an idiot! I know exactly what I heard. You said I was a lost cause! Dr Fredericks said that I was a burden on already limited state resources that could be put to better use! YOU SAID I WAS A BURDEN ON YOU!"

It was Rick's turn to address the already fragile situation.

"Did you really say those things?! To a grieving mother searching for her child?!"

Michonne corrected him.

"No Rick! He didn't say it to me! He didn't have the courtesy to even do that...tell me to my face! He said it to his colleagues. They just didn't count on me hearing them."

Michonne walked up to him.

"You have know idea how I felt hearing you say those things…what it did to me."

Shane said nothing only to nod at the officers to start digging. Michonne walked off on Shane and over to where the other officers were. They glanced up briefly and continued digging. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

For the umpteenth time Rick looked over at Michonne who was sitting in his car. He managed to convince her to stay there and he will call her if anything is found. They were only digging for half an hour when they unearth the skeletal remains of a small child. The bones were clad in a pink garment. Shane and Rick looked at each other and then over at Michonne. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Michonne opened her eyes just in time to see Rick walking over to her. She got out of the car and when she saw his face she knew they found something. She looked over at Shane who was merely standing there sombre. She looked back at Rick.

"They found something…didn't they?!"

Rick opened his mouth to answer but no words came out.

"Is it human? Is it a child?!"

"Yes." He finally managed to whisper out.

Michonne began clutching her chest and hyperventilating. She had barely stumbled past him stumbled when Rick reached out to stop her from going to the grave site.

"Michonne don't!"

She opened her mouth to call Cayla's name but the only thing that came out was a strangled sound. She felt herself being grabbed her from behind and spun around. Rick pulled her against his warm body and held her there tightly.

She tried to push him off as she silently fought against him trying to stop her from going to the grave. Rick held her head steadily against his chest, hearing his strong, firm heartbeat. That broke her.

If this was Cayla's grave then she will never hear the sound of her heartbeat like when she used to when they played doctor and patient. It was Cayla's favourite game as she wanted to be a doctor when she grew up. Michonne's high pitch pain filled shriek pierced the air. It was the last thing she remembered. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

It was the chatter around her that woke Michonne up. She slowly opened her eyes and realized that she was in a lit room…a very familiar place. Adjusting her eyesight she saw that it was Rick, Shane and Dr Fredericks. Slowly rising to her feet she walked over. Rick stepped aside reveal the bones behinds him. Michonne huffed.

"Is…" She closed her eyes to compose herself. "Is it…." She just couldn't finish the sentence.

"It is human and female but it isn't Cayla." Dr Fredericks said solemnly. "I ran her DNA through the national missing persons' database. This is Gabriella Laskie. She was abducted three months before your daughter." Dr Fredericks said.

Michonne closed her eyes.

"Ok." She said quietly.

"Her parents have been called in."

"Ok."

"I am so sorry Ms Moore." Shane said.

"Why?" she asked coldly. "It's not like you care."

Michonne turned to Rick.

"Take me home…please."

When Michonne turned around, a couple was standing there. No-one said anything for a few of minutes. It was clear the couple was nervous.

"Hi." The man said. "I'm Paul and this is my wife Evette. We were asked to come down here. We were told that our little girl was found."

From the look on Evette's face, everyone could tell that she had been crying on their way over. The couple was holding hands as they walked towards Michonne and the others. When they reached to Michonne, Evette spoke.

"Was it you who got the note on where Gabi was?"

Michonne nodded. Paul and Evette hugged her, both in tears.

"Oh God! Thank you for finding her! Thank you! We can finally have peace!"

Michonne hugged them and when they finally parted, they noticed she was distraught.

"Are you ok?"

Michonne smiled weakly.

"I'm just glad Gabriella can be at peace at her final resting place."

Michonne walked out of the room with all eyes on her. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

After talking to Paul and Evette and inviting them to come to the CVOC meetings Rick went outside to find Michonne. He began to panic when he didn't see her by the car. He rushed over to it and was walking around to the other side when he heard her voice. What he saw shattered him. Michonne was on her knees with her eyes closed. She was praying.

"Oh God! Why is this happening to me?! What did I do to deserve this? Why have you forsaken me?! Everyone is gone! My life is empty! Randy left me in the greatest hour of need! The police have given up hope on me. I am happy for Paul and Evette but I am still sad. When will my Cayla be returned to me? I have given up! I can't do this anymore! I have no more hope or fight left in me! I feel Cayla's presence less and less! Please…I will accept anything! If she is dead just give me her body so I can give her a proper resting place! Please God! Have mercy on me. I beg you!"

He took a few steps behind Michonne causing her to become alarmed. She looked up at him.

"I'm so tired Rick. I can't do this anymore."

Rick felt a huge lump rise up in his throat. No words of comfort he could say to her will make this better as the only things that will soothe her pain in the return on Cayla. The only thing he could do is to sit down besides her, leaning against the side of the car. Michonne followed suit and Rick pulled her in into him, her head resting on his shoulder. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**


	10. Chapter 10

**Mirror – Chapter 10**

Rick pulled up infront of Michonne's house, with her sitting quietly in the front seat. After leaving the forensic science centre where Gabriella's remains were positively identified, he took Michonne to get some coffee at Sharon's diner. For one hour, they sat opposite to each other, neither of them saying anything.

Rick observed Michonne closely and saw the signs that she was on the brink of self-destruction. Her eyes were dead and vacant. There was nothing there…there was no more tears left. It was all dried up.

The waitress checked on them several times and asked if they needed anything else. Rick told her no and ignored the quick curious stares of the other patrons and waitresses in the diner. He focused on Michonne's lips and chest. Her breathing was slow and shallow. He whispered to her.

"Michonne?'

She didn't respond.

"Michonne?"

She blinked slightly and Rick was relieved. Atleast she is conscious somewhere inside there.

"Do you want to talk?"

Michonne closed her eyes. He knows that he can't push her but she really needed to talk to someone, anyone.

"Do you want to go home?"

In response, Michonne slowly slid out of her seat. He followed and walked carefully out behind her. Now, as they sat in his car infront of her house for the past 15 minutes, Michonne kept her eyes focused outside on nothing of note. Her phone rang several times but she didn't pick up.

Rick looked at his time. It was late and Michonne needed to rest after the night that they had just had. Suddenly, she opened the door and got out. He got out from his side and walked over to her and when he touched her, she flinched, stopping dead in her tracks.

They stood there for a couple of seconds and she began walking up to the front door again while digging in her purse for the house keys. While fumbling in her bag, Rick felt the frustration emanating off her. He took her bag and found the keys.

On trying the second key, the door opened and they stepped inside. Once in, he guided Michonne towards the kitchen and sat her down at the counter. Working quickly, he made a cheese and ham sandwich and put it in front of her.

She looked down at it and slowly, she reached and began eating. Rick watched her as she ate mindlessly. He knew he couldn't leave her like this. The experience that Carol relayed to him kept playing over and over again in his head.

That situation didn't end well and he began remembering his and Abe's own pain. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

 _ **Five years ago….**_

 _Four officers had a screaming Rick and an enraged Abe pinned down on the ground. They were both calling out the names of their loved ones in the wreckage._

" _Dylan!"_

" _Carl!"_

" _Simone!"_

" _Ellie!"_

" _Calm down sir!" one of the officers shouted at Abe._

" _Get off of me!" Rick yelled at the officers holding him down on the warm asphalt. Soon, the fire department arrived and began cutting open the wreckage to retrieve the bodies. After the second cut, a child's shoe fell out._

 _An animal cry ripped from Abe as he threw the officers off him and lunged forward. He had just reached forward in time and grabbed the bloody shoe when he was tackled again._

" _Take them away!" A senior officer commanded._

 _Abe and Rick fought ferociously as more officers came forward and dragged them away kicking and screaming._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _In one corner of the waiting room, Rick was on his phone leaving the fourth voicemail for Lori on her phone. He begged her to call him back. He had called her more than a dozen times to inform her of the accident and that their son Carl didn't survive._

 _He cursed each time her phone went unanswered and now resorted to leave voice messages. He looked over and saw the mixture of pain and rage in Abe's eyes as he held an inconsolable Sasha in his arms. As she cried and clutched Dylan's shoe in her arms she was mumbling through her tears._

" _It can't be him Abe! It can't be our son!"_

 _Abe cupped her face and planted wet apologetic kisses on her face._

" _I'm so sorry baby!"_

 _She still refused to believe it._

" _It can't be Dylan!"_

 _She looked over at Rick and she felt his pain too because she walked over and pulled him into her arms._

" _Oh Rick!_

 _Without warning, he broke down in her arms, crying violently on her shoulders._

" _I'm sorry!" He croaked as he wrapped his arms around her waist tightly._

" _It's ok! I'm here for you! Abe is here for you! We are in this together!"_

 _Abe felt good seeing his wife comfort his best friend. At a time like this, no one should be alone. He had Sasha but Rick was all alone. They pulled apart when the coroner walked into the room._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

 _Lori saw all the missed calls from Rick but refused to take them. Even though years had passed she was still bitter about her divorce from him and was more livid when they had shared custody of Carl. She watched as the voicemails kept coming in and on the fourth one, she finally decided to listen._

 _As the message played on in her ear, she grew paler and paler and then she dropped her phone on the floor and fled the room._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**_

" _I want to see my son!" Sasha cried._

 _They could see that the coroner had been crying. His eyes were bloodshot and puffy and he was struggling to speak. He looked at the grieving parents standing before him._

" _I don't think that is a good idea Mrs Ford."_

" _Don't tell my wife she can't see out son!" Abe barked. The coroner swallowed hard._

" _It's not that I don't want her to see her son! It's just that…that…"_

 _The man took deep breaths as he looked at them._

" _Just what?"_

 _Rick looked at the coroner closely, then placed his hand on Abe's shoulders to calm him down. Abe looked at him puzzled as Rick turned his attention back at the man._

" _Just tell us…did they suffer?"_

 _It was the first time since the coroner walked into the room that relief flashed in his eyes._

" _No. They didn't."_

 _Sasha grabbed on to Abe's shirt and started crying again._

" _I'm so sorry for your loss."_

 _The door opened behind them and two men walked in. They were in plain clothes and identified themselves as Atlanta PD officers but Rick didn't know them. The Coroner gave Rick his card._

" _If you have any more questions, please call me."_

 _Rick took the card and he left the room. Abe took Sasha to a seat nearby. Then he and Rick addressed the officers._

" _What can you tell us?"_

" _Mr Grimes, your car was stopped legally at a traffic light. When it turned green, it proceeded through the intersection when a black sedan broke the traffic light in the adjacent direction and ploughed straight into your car."_

" _Do you have person who did this in custody?"_

 _The officers looked at each other._

" _Eyewitnesses said about five minutes after the crash, another black sedan vehicle drove up and took the driver away."_

" _What?! How is this possible?" Abe asked._

" _What are you doing to find this person?"_

" _We are doing everything we can to find the driver. We pulled CCTV footage from nearby cameras and confiscated cell-phones from the people who witnessed the accident."_

" _I want to see the footage."_

" _We know that you were a cop Mr Grimes and you know that we can't share evidence with you. Captain Baines knew that you would asked to see the evidence we collected."_

" _We'll see about that!"_

 _Suddenly, the door angrily flew open behind them. It was Lori._

" _This is all your fault! If Carl was with me he would have still been alive! He's dead because of you!"_

 _Rick stumbled back as Lori's words cut through him. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. He was dumbstruck._

" _How could you blame him for Carl's death?" Abe asked angrily._

" _Stay out of this Abe!"_

 _Lori raised her hand to slap Rick but it was caught in mid air. She turned to see that it was Sasha. Sasha slammed Lori's hand at her side and then slapped Lori hard across her face._

" _Don't you ever talk to my husband like that! How dare you just come in here and start ripping into Rick for something he had nothing to do with or have any control over?! What kind of woman are you?! Rick has been calling you for hours! Where were you?!"_

 _Lori held her reddened cheeks, glaring at Sasha. Unexpectedly, she lunged at her, but Sasha was quicker and sidestepped her attack and Lori crashed into the chairs behind. The room was deafeningly quiet as Lori, slowly got up, her pride and dignity wounded. She faced everyone before focusing her evil gaze on Rick._

" _You took my son away from me and now he's dead. You will pay for this."_ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~*~***_

After Michonne ate, she went on the sofa and lay down. Ten minutes later she was fast asleep. Rick tidied the kitchen and sat down on the sofa opposite Michonne. He watched her until the sun came up. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Carol and Karen followed the directions and soon they were knocking on Michonne front door. Rick opened the door and signalled for them to be quiet as he ushered them inside.

"What's going on Rick?"

He motioned for them to follow him and they walked stealthily pass Michonne who was still asleep in the sofa. They huddled at the far side of the kitchen. It took Rick only 5 minutes to relay to them what had transpired from yesterday to current.

"I remembered what you told me Carol, about Ms Fredericks, about what she did and how it affected you. I couldn't live with myself if I had left Michonne alone and she killed herself. She tried to do it before."

"You did good Rick. You did the right thing by staying here with her."

"We have a group meeting this evening. You think she should come?"

"Yes. She needs to be reminded that she's not alone in this."

They all nodded in agreement. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Carol and Karen stayed and took care of Michonne so that Rick could go home to shower and have a change of clothes. Carol advised him to also get some sleep. They promised that they will bring her to the meeting later this evening. **~*~*~*~*~*~**

Rick arrived at the CVOC office atleast 2 hours early. Rosita noticed how restless he was.

"Are you okay?'

"Yes. I'm fine."

Rosita's facial expression told him that she didn't believe him but she knew better than to push the issue.

"Okay. We had a few enquires but only 2 new clients."

Rick nodded and went into his office with the new files to looked them over. He set them down on his desk and dialled Carol's number.

"We'll be there in an hour Rick."

"How is she?"

"No change."

"Can't we give her some kind of medication to snap her out of this?"

"No Rick. We can't. Medication will only shut her down completely. She needs to open up."

"Well let's hope today helps." **~*~*~*~*~*~**

Rick reserved a seat specifically for Michonne and he wanted her to be extra comfortable. He also put the seat in a vantage position where he could clearly see her. He didn't know what to expect but he was hoping for the best but at the same time preparing for the worst.

Some people had already began filing into the room and saw the expression on Rick's face whenever they went near Michonne's seat. After the tenth person, Karen walked in and he began to panic when he didn't see Carol or Michonne come in behind her. She raised her hand to reassure him.

"They are in the lobby Rick."

Ten minutes later Michonne walked in with Carol close behind her. As if telepathic, Michonne walked straight to the seat Rick had reserved for her. He smiled and didn't notice the subtle glances among the other attendees including Jessie. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

The session had been going on for the past half hour. The second new member had just introduced herself and began speaking about losing her son in a negligent house fire. Although they were listening to the others, Carol, Rick and Karen were also splitting their attention in keeping an eye on Michonne, who seemed to be getting more irritated as time passed. She was shaking her foot and her hands were clenched on her lap. Carol and Karen glanced at each other.

"I visited her gravestone three days ago and…."

"Then why aren't you grateful?!" Michonne snapped angrily at the startled woman.

All eyes were on her now, including Rick's. Michonne's words dripped with disdain.

"Every session I come here, all you people ever do is whine and cry and complain! How ungrateful can you guys be?"

The shock of Michonne words reverberate throughout the room. The woman looked at Carol who for once didn't know what to do.

"Excuse me?" the woman finally manage to say.

"You are ungrateful! Every last one of you! Atleast you can visit your child's grave! Some of us don't have that luxury! Some of us will never have that chance! You can grieve properly!"

"You don't have to be rude!" Jessie finally interjected. "We are all here for the same thing! We are all hurting! We are all the same!"

Jessie's words lit a fire in Michonne's bones because she shot to her feet, screaming at the top of her lungs.

"WE ARE NOT THE SAME! WE ARE NOT THE SAME! Do you know where I was last night?! I was on my hands and knees digging through a grave, praying and hoping that finally I would find my daughter! I have been doing that for the past four years! Cayla doesn't have a final resting place like your child does! She doesn't have a gravestone like your child does. She was taken from me four years ago and I haven't seen her since! Do you have any idea what's that like?! Being hopeful that every knock on your door could be your child finally coming home! I don't know if she's dead or alive! If she's alive not knowing if she's hungry or sick or hurt or scared! If she calls out my name I can't hear her and I can't help her! If she's dead, not knowing if she suffered painfully or went peacefully! If her body was left lying in a ditch somewhere to rot! Those are answers I may never get! I have been dying every day little by little for the past four years! Last night I felt like I took my last painful breath!

Michonne grabbed her chest and deeply inhaled several times.

"I know someone was taken from all of us…someone precious. We are all hurting...we are all in pain but don't you ever make the mistake of thinking that we are the same! Some of you have a measure of comfort knowing that your child will never be hurt again, or get scared again...that they are finally at peace. That is something many of us will never have!" **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

After Michonne's angry and emotional outburst, she fled the room. Rick rose to his feet to go after her but Carol stopped him.

"Let her go Rick. That is what she needed to do. She needed to get all of her anger and pain and frustration out in the open and out of her system. This is her breakthrough."

Rick reluctantly sat back down in his seat as Karen apologized for the ending the session early. Some people were crying and others expressed concern for Michonne's plight. Jessie and two other ladies huddled together over by the refreshment's table.

"I can't believe she said those things!" Jessie quietly seethes.

"I don't know. She does have a point. Not knowing where your child is after so long…it would take a toll on you. I can't imagine what she's going through. Not knowing is they are dead or alive! That's real torture!"

Jessie looked at the woman slightly annoyed. She was hoping to get some support for her point of view. She turned to the other woman.

"You think she was right?"

"When they finally found my son's body out at sea I did feel relief. I got my son back even if he was dead. I can visit him at his grave anytime I want. That is something she doesn't have. She's right. She isn't like us."

Jessie turned and walked away from the women fuming. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Michonne slowly opened the door to Rick.

"Hey."

She stepped aside and Rick walked in.

"I came to check up on you…to see if you were ok."

"I am."

They looked at each awkwardly. Michonne looked tired and drained so he decided that he would leave. He began walking back to the front door and when his hand held on to the door knob, Michonne shrieked.

"Please don't leave me!"

Rick spun around immediately. Michonne was shaking her head and her eyes were filling up with tears.

"I lied! I'm not ok! Please! I don't want to be alone anymore! Please don't leave me."

He dropped his bag on the floor walked up to her and encircled his arms, protectively around her.

"I'm here Michonne. I'm not going to leave you." **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**


	11. Chapter 11

**Mirror - Chapter 11**

 _ **Four years ago…..**_

 _It has been a month since Cayla's disappearance. The police visited the Peter's home several time during that period but they brought no new updates or leads in the case. Andre also visited Michonne many times to the open displeasure of Randy._

 _He always brought Cindy and Kiki with him. Cindy cried and apologized to Michonne several times for not being able to save Cayla and Michonne reassured the distraught little girl that it was not her fault…that she had nothing to apologize for._

 _Sufficed to say…as time went on, their marriage deteriorated rapidly. Cayla was the main glue holding them together as they were having problems long before she was taken. Now that she is gone, there is nothing between them._

 _If they weren't giving each other the cold shoulder, when they do talk, it was mostly arguments and the blame game being played. One time, Andre dropped by unexpected and caught Randy ripping into her._

 _She was crying and Randy was screaming and Andre intervened. They ended up in a scuffle and Randy sustaining a black eye, Andre, a busted lip and Michonne, sprained ankle because she was trying to part them and she fell down._

 _One week later, Randy moved out but luckily she wasn't left entirely alone. Andre was her rock, so was her neighbours. They closed ranks around her and she want or lacked for nothing. They did her shopping, cooking and anything else that she needed._

 _Two months later, she saw Randy with another woman in his arms. They were talking and laughing. In a rage, she confronted him and they ended up in the most dreadful screaming match in the middle of the street._

 _She went home in tears and five months later, she was a divorcee. The months, then a little over a year rolled by and the police visits grew less and less until it was reduce to a simple courtesy phone call once every month…maybe more if she called them herself for updates._

 _The calls gave her no comfort and visits had totally stopped. That's when the first letter arrived for her in the mail claiming to know where her daughter is. It came in the form of an address. She took this info to Detective Walsh._

 _He and other detective jumped at the chance to redeem themselves in a case that has been haunting the police department. However, soon their own faith began to waiver and she had simply become a nuisance to them as she had heard expressed from Shane himself at the coroner's office. Since then, she has been on her own._ _ **~*~*~*~*~*~**_

Carol popped her head into Rick's office.

"Hey. Are you ok?"

He forced a smile on his lips.

"I'm trying to be."

She walked in and sat down opposite him.

"Want to talk about it?"

"No. I just want this empty feeling to go away. It still hurts."

"It will always hurt Rick. It's the anniversary of Carl's death. It's supposed to hurt/"

Rick said nothing.

"Do you need me to go with you to Carl's grave?"

"Thanks but I'll be meeting Sasha there."

"Ok."

Carol left the office and Rick rubbed his tired eyes. He picked up the phone and dialled Sasha's number. After three rings, she picked up.

"Hey. What time am I coming to pick you up for?"

"I was just about to call you. Abe called me. I think he's depressed. He asked if I could come and visit him today."

"Ok. That's good."

"I don't know what it is but I think this year is particularly bad. He asked me to bring pictures of Dylan and his favourite toys."

Sasha began sobbing over the phone.

"He's so broken Rick! I want to help him but I don't know how!"

"Go to him Sasha. Don't worry about me."

"Are you sure you don't want to come?"

"I'll be fine."

"But you will be alone."

Rick thought for a second then smiled.

"Actually I wouldn't. Tell Abe I'll be coming to visit him soon."

"I will."

After he hung up from Sasha, he picked up his car keys and left the office. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

"Rick?"

Michonne stood by the door.

"Is everything ok?"

Rick shifted nervously on his feet.

"Yes. Everything is fine." He paused. "I was just wondering…are you busy right now?"

"I was just about to prepare some chicken soup for lunch."

"Ok. Sorry to disturb you."

Rick turned and began walking down to pathway when she reached out and caught him by his arm.

"Wait!"

She turned him around.

"Talk to me!"

"I just need to be somewhere today and I could really really use the company."

"Ok. Let me get my purse. Don't…leave."

Rick nodded and Michonne rushed inside. Few minutes later she came back out. They got into his car and left. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Michonne noticed that Rick wasn't his usual chatty self on their drive to wherever they were going. She picked up on his sombre mood so she decided to wait to see where they were going, instead of asking. When they pulled in the gates marked Lincoln Memorial Cemetery her heart sank. She looked over just in time to see him swallow hard. Quietly he parked and when they got out of the car, she followed his lead until they arrived at a grave. The head stone was marked:

 _ **In loving memory**_

 _ **of**_

 _ **Carl Grimes**_

 _ **An angel taken too soon**_

 _ **Gone but never forgotten**_

Michonne stood next to Rick; his eyes were closed when she looked at him. When he opened them, he took out a post card and placed it on the grave. There were other items on the grave like flowers and small toys.

She looked down at his hand and it was trembling slightly. She knows all too well that words doesn't bring any comfort to a parent who has lost a child, so she did the only thing that she could think of.

She put her hand in his, interlacing their fingers. Rick squeezed them tightly, pulling her closer to him. They stood there in complete silence. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

"Well…well…well!"

Rick and Michonne's heads spun around. Michonne didn't know who the woman was but from the look on Rick's face, he did. The woman stared at them.

"Who is this?"

Rick didn't answer the woman's question and it was making Michonne nervous. The woman glanced down and saw their clasped hands. She flew into a rage. She rushed up and slapped Rick hard, causing Michonne to pull away, covering her mouth in total shock.

"How dare you bring one of your bitches to my son's grave!"

Rick cheeks reddened as it absorbed the slap. He didn't retaliate…merely looked at her. Lori raised her hand to hit Rick again when he grabbed it with one hand in mid-air. Lori dropped her purse in the other hand, raised it and slapped Rick again.

She was about to deliver a third blow when unexpectedly, Rick grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into a nearby tree.

"Oh my God! Rick!" Michonne shrieked out.

She stepped forward but was confused about intervening. She didn't know if she would have made matters worse. The look in Lori's eyes mirrored Michonne's. It was utter and complete shock.

"I'M F*CKING SICK OF YOUR SHIT LORI!" Rick screamed.

He squeezed slightly.

"You blame me for everything that went wrong in our marriage but the truth is YOU were a terrible wife! You complained when things were good! You complained when things were bad! All you ever did was complain, complain, complain! Nothing was ever good enough for you!"

"Rick!" Michonne reached out to him but he shook off her hands, ignoring her.

"You are the whore that cheated on me…your husband! You're the one that wasn't a good mother to her own child. You are the one who took me…a grieving father to court and sue him for the death of his child!"

He took a deep, laboured breath.

"Did you ever stop to think that maybe if you were a good mother, then Carl would have really been alive today?! He wouldn't have been with a babysitter and some asshole wouldn't have ploughed his car into them! Abe's son might have been alive today too. He and Carl would have been at a play date at your house, him and Ellie. Simone might have already been at her class if she didn't have to come to pick up Carl! Everyone would have been alive!"

Rick was crying now as he slowly let go of Lori's neck.

"Every day I wish it was me in that car. I wish that I had died instead of Carl but you know what? The truth is I wished it was you!" He pointed a finger in Lori's face.

"IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOU IN THE CAR! YOU WERE THE ONE WHO SHOULD HAVE DIED THAT DAY! Then my son would have been here…with me. I hate you! I hate you so much!"

Rick spun around and walked away. Michonne followed only looking back once to see Lori rubbing her neck. She only stared back at them, still thunderstruck by Rick's words. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Michonne drove Rick's car home. He was in no position to drive…not after what just happened. She briefly stopped at a convenient store and bought an ice pack for Rick's face and some aspirin for the headache he was surely going to have later on. Half an hour later, they were infront of her house. She got of the driver's seat and Rick slipped in from the passenger side. She closed the door.

"You could stay here until your head cool off."

"Thanks but I think I better get home. I need to sleep off today's events."

"Ok. Call me when you get home. Drive safely."

"I will."

Michonne watched as Rick pulled out of her driveway. She waved at him and he waved back and he disappeared down the street. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

As he drove home, Rick thought about Michonne's offer for him to stay with her until his head is levelled. He was tempted beyond belief to accept her offer but it could have spelt disaster for him or her or both of them.

He was already attracted to her emotionally, physically and sexually and to be this upset and in such close proximity to her could have led to the very thing that Carol warned him about.

From the way she operated…buying the ice pack and aspirins for him, it was clear she was a nurturer…a comforter and right now he is in serious need of comforting. He was proud of himself for keeping such restraint. **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Michonne opened her eyes slowly. It was the third time her phone was ringing. She glanced at the table clock. It was 10pm. She answered the phone groggy.

"Hello…"

"Hey Michonne…it's Carol."

"Hi. Is everything ok?"

"Where you with Rick today?"

"Yes…around lunch time. Why?"

"You need to come down to the police station."

"Why?"

"He's been arrested." **~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

Michonne met Carol outside of the police station. They walked inside.

"What's going on?"

"Lori had Rick arrested!"

"For what?"

"She said Rick attacked her; beat her up at their son's grave."

"She attacked him. Rick was defending himself! He didn't beat her up!"

They walked down the corridor to a room. Inside were Lori and two officers. Lori glared at her and continued talking to the officers.

"I was so scared for my life. I came to honor my son's grave and he just grabbed me by the throat and slammed me against the tree."

"He was defending himself against you! You were hitting him!"

The officer turned to Lori.

"Is that true ma'am?"

"I was emotional officer! He brought her to our son's grave!" She pointed an accusing finger at Michonne. "How could he bring another woman there?!"

"Hold up! I am not Rick's girlfriend. We belong to the same support group for parents who lost children! We are friends!"

"Ma'am…you still didn't answer the question. Did you put your hands on him first?"

Lori's fake tears were beginning to dry up and the real Lori was slowly emerging.

"Look at my neck! He did this to me! How can a husband beat up his own wife?!"

"He's your EX! Ex husband!"

"Stay out of this bimbo!" Lori hissed at her.

Seeing that he wouldn't be getting any straight answers from Lori, the officer turned to Michonne.

"Do you have any proof that she attacked her ex husband first?"

"No but…." Michonne paused. "Yes!"

She dug into her bag and pulled out the credit card receipt she had. She gave it to the officer.

"Look. I paid for an ice pack for his cheeks and a bottle of aspirin for the headache he was having. She slapped him twice and when she was going to slap him a third time that's when he grabbed her by the throat and pushed her against the tree. Then she stopped"

The officer glanced at the receipt and signalled to a junior officer.

"Please release Mr Grimes from hold up!"

"WHAT?!"

The officer turned to Lori.

"Leave or you will be arrest for assault!"

Lori stormed out of the room, snaring at Michonne as she pass.

"You can wait for Mr Grimes in the corridor."

Michonne and Carol walked out and took a seat on the corridor. Carol received a phone call and she had to step outside. Another officer gestured to her and she walked over to him.

"Mr Grimes will be out soon. Can you please sign for his things?"

"Sure."

Michonne sign for them and when she turned around a familiar face greeted her. **~*~*~*~*~*~***

"Hi."

Michonne stared at Officer Walsh.

"Hello."

Shane moved awkwardly on his feet infront of her.

"Uh…why are you here?"

Michonne stared at him. Shane pressed on.

"Did you get anymore leads concerning Cayla?"

Michonne snickered.

"No…but what if I did? It's not like you would investigate right? You made it perfectly clear that investigating my daughter's case was wasting police time and resources…so what do you care?!"

Shane abruptly grabbed Michonne by the arm and dragged her towards a room.

"What are you doing? Get your hands off me!"

"Be quiet!"

Michonne looked at Shane's irritable face. She didn't say another word as he pulled her into a room and locked the door behind them. It was the interrogation room.

"When are you going to let that go?!"

"Why should I? Did I hurt your feelings?! I wasn't lying! You did say those things."

"And I'm sorry! Alright!" Shane screamed at her.

Michonne shrunk back.

"I know that you don't want to hear this but the reality is your daughter case has gone cold. It's been four years."

Michonne began shaking her head.

"I don't want to hear this!"

"Well you have too! It's been four years she was taken."

"Shut up!"

"No leads!"

Michonne dropped the items in her hand and covered her ears.

"Shut up!"

"No witnesses!"

"Shut up!"

"No suspects!"

"Shut...up!"

"I'm sorry Michonne but the cold hard truth is there are hundreds of other children who have gone missing and still haven't been found. Some of them never will be."

Shane took a step towards her but she took a step back.

"You know what my truth is detective? My truth is that Cayla is my child. I carried her for 9 month and my truth is that I will never give up on her even though you can. I will find my baby…either dead or alive."

She gathered her things and pushed pass the detective and left the room. **~*~*~*~*~*~**

The drive home to Michonne's house was painfully quiet. Michonne invited him inside and against his better judgement, he followed her in. He could see that she was upset.

"I'm sorry that this whole thing with me and Lori upset you. It probably brought up unpleasant memories for you."

"It wasn't you. It was…"

"What Michonne?" Rick moved closer to her in the kitchen.

"Detective Walsh said some things to me tonight that I can't get out of my head! He said that there are hundreds of children still missing just like Cayla and some of them will never be found."

Michonne faced him as she took in a sharp gulp of air into her lungs.

"I just want the pain to stop! I don't want to hurt any more. I want someone to hold me and….."

Rick's lips on her's cut off the rest of the sentence. He grabbed her hips against him and as they kissed, they slowly walked backwards until Michonne's back was jammed up against the refrigerator.

She snaked her hands around his neck and caressed his shoulders. Rick ravished her lips and stuck his tongue deep down her throat. Within minutes, Michonne felt Rick's growth as he grind hard against her.

Without warning he unbutton her jeans and slipped his hand aggressively down in her panties. She opened her legs just enough and Rick got the access he needed. He slipped two fingers in and in seconds she was wet…slippery. He pulled away and nibbled in her ear, whispering.

"Tonight is not about pain or loss or suffering. Tonight is about comfort…our comfort."

"Yes." She whispered back. **~*~*~*~*~*~**

The trek from the kitchen to her bedroom was a complete blur. All she cared about right now was the pleasurable nakedness of herself and her companion. The soft kisses on her inner thighs draped by the prickly goodness of his stubble caused her toes of lock painfully..

Her quiet moans and his long groans decorated the bedroom's air. His warm tongue searched her robustly and then dived in for the kill.

"Oh God!"

She pulled up her knees until they touched the tip of her nipples and that was all Rick needed. He pressed his face in…hard and his tongue met the forbidden inner spot. Rick dragged his tongue slowly…wickedly…purposeful and Michonne shuddered quietly in the dark.

He repeated the process twice more, each time slower than the last. Her body was no longer her own. She had no control over the passionate shakes of her body or the volume of liquid essence that gushed from her and all over Rick's face and sheets.

Pulling out his tongue, Rick kissed from there, up her tummy and between her breasts straight up to her lips. It was the first time she tasted herself...she wouldn't mind tasting it again before the morning comes.

He slipped into her. He filled her up nice and tight. She moved her hips and he slid in deeper. His lips never left hers as he began crunching into her, with measured and sturdy stabs.

After five minutes, she began contracting around him so he stopped abruptly…delaying her release. She grabbed a fist full of his hair and gave it wicked tug. He resumed thrusting and when she contracted again he stopped. She bit his lip and drew a trace of blood. They giggled but he still kept still.

Rick hooked his both elbows under the nape on her knees, pinning her in the perfect folded position and he was off. He didn't stop when she contracted and exploded on him the first, second or third time. She pulled her lips away to take vital, crucial living breaths.

"Oh God! Oh God!" She dug her nails into his flesh and he grunted in pain but he recovered quickly each time her bouncing breasts brush against his chest. He grind into her faster and harder. The fourth wave was a tsunami and all she had to do was ride it out.

She grabbed unto the bedhead for meagre support and gasped as Rick just pumped. She erupted first, shivering violently.

"Ohhhhhh…..godddddddddd"

That was Rick's breaking point. He thrust his hips forward holding steady. He huffed and released. Michonne felt his warm seeds spill into her. With every cock pulse, she filled up more. That feeling and knowledge sent her into several mini shivers….her eyes filling with water and a strangled, dribble cry escaped her throat.

Rick slowly released her legs and she wrapped them around his waist, keeping him deep inside her. He stuffed his tongue in her mouth and they kissed passionately. Then they pulled apart.

"Thank you." They said simultaneously and burst out laughing in the night. **~*~*~*~*~*~**

Rick woke up the next morning confused. He could have sworn he fell asleep spooning Michonne. She was not in the bed. He looked at the time. It was 3am in the morning. She slipped out of the bed and walked downstairs to meet lights in the kitchen. **~*~*~*~*~*~**

Michonne forgot how much good sex can make you hungry. In fact…she was famished. She was standing in the kitchen, on her third sandwich when she was gobbled up from behind. Rick planted wet kisses on her neck and he sat down on the nearby stood.

She leaned back on him, handing him a bite of her sandwich. They both chewed in silence for a few minutes until Rick broke it.

"So what does this means for us?"

He kissed her bare left shoulder.

"I don't know."

"For the record I have always liked you."

Michonne looked at him over surprised.

"Really?"

"Yep."

"I didn't realized."

"So how do you feel about me?"

"Before tonight?"

He nodded.

"You have been really nice to me. I haven't gotten that in a very long time. It feels good. Tonight you have been reallllly good to me."

Rick laughed.

"You think we could have something….you and me?"

Michonne turned around fully to face Rick.

"Do you want to?"

"I don't want to force you if you are not ready for a relationship but yes….I want to be with you."

Michonne looked thoughtful.

"We could take it as slow as you want."

"Wouldn't that be bad for you…for us. You are my sponsor at the meetings. If people find out…they will talk."

"A – It's no-one business what we do. B – We will be careful as possible not to be found out until we are ready to come out as a couple and C – If they find out…who cares. We are both consenting adults."

"It will still looks bad."

"Ok. How about this. We keep this arrangement we have right here going and move forward when we both are ready to do so."

Michonne kissed him.

"Deal."

Rick pushed his hands down her panties again.

"Hmmmm. Still wet."

Michonne giggled.

"Yes…I am."

She straddled Rick and rotate her hips on him, bringing him to arousal within seconds.

"Ready for round two?"

She nibbled on his neck in reply and squealed out in delight as Rick dropped to the floor. As he pulled off his pants Carol quickly crossed his mind. _F*ck! Carol is going to kill me._ **~*~*~*~*~*~***


	12. Chapter 12

**Mirror – Chapter 12**

The morning sun streamed on their naked bodies in the from the living room window on the ground. Rick opened his eyes slightly and the perfect shoulders of his companion came into sight. He pulled her close and she groaned when he kissed her shoulder. Slowly she turned around.

"Hi."

"Good morning."

"How are you feeling?"

"Good. Why?"

Rick was suddenly shy and self conscious.

"Last night we said some things in the heat of passion and…"

"Are you asking if I have any regrets about last night or this morning?"

"Well yes. I guess that's what I'm asking."

Michonne rolled him over on his back and straddled him.

"Does this look like I have any regrets?"

"No."

She grabbed his cock in her hand and massaged it until it was nice and stiff with blood. She slipped her still slippery centre down on him, taking him in whole. She rocked her hips back and forth, side to side until they both moaned.

"Does this feel like I have any regrets?"

"F*ck me!"

"Does it?!"

She grinds down harder and Rick only whimpered.

"Answer me!"

"NO! No regrets."

Michonne placed her hands firmly on his chest and he held her in place by her knees. She rocked her waist faster and faster, biting down on her lip to stifle her moans. From the last two times that they had sex, Rick realized that this makes her orgasm harder and stronger because she's fighting it. He loved that because it also made him orgasm stronger and harder as well. After ten minutes of silent rocking they both exploded at once.

"Oh God!"

"F*ck me!"

Michonne's hands lost all its strength and she collapsed on top of him. He held her close and she gasped when him pumped up and released in her two more times. They breathe heavily and in silence, both too tired to speak. **~*~*~*~*~***

Rick unwrapped his body from around a sleeping Michonne and was going into the kitchen to make himself a mid morning snack when he heard footsteps at the front door. He walked to it and saw a shadow briefly moved behind the door then disappeared. He opened the door.

It was the postman and there was a letter in a brown envelope sticking out of the mail box on the door. He took the letter and closed the door. He went back to the kitchen and put the letter on the counter. Michonne's address was handwritten and there was something about the handwriting that was bothered him.

He made a turkey sandwich and stared at the envelope as he ate. He silently studied the curve of the letters 'S' and 'A'. He chewed and stared and curiosity got the best of him. He opened the envelope and all it contained is a piece of paper with another address on it. One just like the one Michonne got the other day and led to a missing child's case now solved.

' _I know this handwriting.'_ Rick thought to himself. He traced his fingers along the words.

"I know this handwriting."

This time, he has spoken out loud and Michonne stirred and then turned in his direction.

"Know what?"

Rick left the kitchen and sat down next to her on the floor. He handed her the opened envelope and apologized.

"I'm sorry for snooping through your mail."

She instantly recognized the envelope and the light died in her eyes. She looked away.

"Oh." She got up off the floor. "It's ok."

Rick followed her and they went into her bedroom. She sat on the bed painfully quiet and he sat down next to her, pulling her close. She leaned her face into his chest and hot tears ran down.

"I can't!" she cries. "I can't do this anymore!"

Rick cupped her face in her hands.

"No more! Please….make it stop!"

Rick started crying.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"It's too painful!"

"I know."

He pulled her close as she cries. **~*~*~*~*~***

They bathed and showered and lay in each other arms on the bed.

"You have been staring at the note for the past ten minutes."

"I think I know this handwriting."

Michonne rose up.

"What?"

She was shocked.

"Are you sure? From where?!"

The hope in her voice was once again and she gripped his hand.

"I don't know but I am 80% sure I've seen this handwriting before."

For the first time ever, he saw a light in her eyes that he had never seen before and it was nice.

"Can I keep this? I just need to get a second opinion."

"Yes please! I'm willing to try anything and everything that could help."

He kissed her and left. **~*~*~*~*~***

Rick sat in the CVOC office in deep thought when Jessie came in.

"Hey. Penny for your thoughts?"

"Do you need something Jessie?"

He didn't even look up at her.

She shrunk back by the tone of Rick's voice.

"No. You just looked distracted. Is it anything that I could help you with?"

"If I want your help Jessie I will ask for it."

She left the office without another word. Rick got up and put up a "Do not Disturb" sign on the door. He walked to the window and peered outside, still holding the note in his hand. Suddenly he gasped and fled out of the office like the devil was after him. **~*~*~*~*~***

Rick rushed into his house straight into the attic leaving his front door opened. He opened an old sack filled with old paper clippings from Carl's and Dylan's accident. He rummaged past those until he found exactly what he was looking for. It was a piece of paper with a simple note scribble almost eligible on it..

" _ **$1,000,000 just to look the other way. It will easy your pain."**_

Rick couldn't breathe. The S's and the A's were identical to the note that Michonne had received but he couldn't believe it. He went as pale as a sheet. There had to be another explanation for this and there is only one other person who can give him some true clarity…who can tell him that he's not crazy and that he's not seeing things because he wants to help Michonne. Clutching both notes, he ran out of the house. **~*~*~*~*~***

Rick paced in the corner where he and Abe were sitting in the visitor's room. It wasn't visiting hour but Abe scored some points with the warden last week when he squashed a situation when some prisoners jumped a guard and threatened his life.

"I'm not crazy right?!"

Abe stared at the both notes and the similarities between the letters couldn't be denied.

"Talk to me Abe!"

He finally put the notes down.

"This can't be right Abe. It can't be the same person."

"No."

"Then explain this!"

Rick anxiously pointed to the notes on the table. "I can't but I know that it is not possible."

Rick sat opposite Abe.

"Did you tell or show this to anyone?"

"Who the f*ck could I tell this to Abe? Lori?! She didn't even know I got the note!"

Abe cocked his head to the side.

"Really?"

"Yes...really otherwise she might have told me to take the money."

Abe nodded in agreement.

"True."

Rick knows that look that Abe is giving him right now.

"Are you sure you want to open this up…again. Lori will know about the offer this time."

"I know but if this could help Michonne's case I'm willing to do it."

"You should bring her the next time you visit. I want to meet her. That's if she doesn't mind coming here to visit me."

"She isn't like that. She'll come if I ask her too."

"Just like that."

"Yes."

"Ok. I just hope the both of you are prepared for the shit storm that will start once you open this up again."

"I'm ready."

"Then make the visit and confirm for yourself."

Rick rose from his seat.

"Please be careful Rick."

"I will." **~*~*~*~*~***

 _ **Five years ago…**_

 _It has been about three months since the terrible accident that took the lives of four innocent people and still the police have not given them any answers. The common courtesy offered to cops who families were taken from them wasn't extended to Rick._

 _Whenever he asked for any updates, he was met with a solid blue wall stronger than the one that is often showed to the public when their fellow officers come under attack from members of the public. It was strange and unnerving that they have the CCTV footage from the accident and claimed to have confiscated all the cell phones of persons who were there but still no leads._

 _A small special unit was put together to investigate and Rick was beginning to believe that it was all for show. Abe and Sasha showed up at the station twice per week for answers and Rick had nothing to share. Sasha would hold on to Abe and cried every time. Then Lori would show up at his door to curse him out infront of all his neighbours._

 _She called him every vile name she could think of. At first he would argue with her but after awhile when he hear her car pull up in his drive way he would just lock his front door so she couldn't get. This made her even angrier and it gave him some pleasure._ _ **~*~*~*~*~***_

 _Rick was tired of sitting at home doing nothing and getting no answers from anyone. He was restless for the whole day and decided to go into the station late at night to see if he can sneak a peak at his file during the graveyard shift. He pulled up in the alley at the back of the station and parked._

 _He looked at his time and he smiled. He just had to wait. A minute or two later, Officer Thomas was right on schedule with his reliable smoking habit. Rick waited for when Thomas bent around the corner and he made a dash towards the door before it closed._

 _Once inside he walked slick against the corridor past the camera's blind spot. He was about to make his way to the case management office when he heard voices coming his way. He had to sprint into the spare bathroom. The voices stopped just outside the door._

" _How long do you think we could keep this up? Keep lying to Rick and his friend."_

" _You do realize who it was that caused that accident right?! Shawn Mc Knight! Victor Mc Knight's son. The real estate mogul. Even if Rick finds out that it was one of the biggest real estate developer's in the country drunk and coked out his mind son who killed his kid what the hell can he do? With the right lawyer, no court in America will convicted him. Rick and his friend knowing who killed their kids will not do them any good. Money talks. Rick is going to have to accept it and moved on."_

" _I heard a rumour that the Mc Knights are willing to cut a nice fat cheque to keep everything quiet. If I was Rick I would take it."_

 _Rick sat in stunned silence for twenty minutes after the two officers left. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. Tears flooded his eyes. The system that he had served and swore to use to uphold justice and truth was working against him. His colleagues have betrayed him._

 _They knew…they all knew who killed…no not killed, MURDERED Carl and Dylan and Simone and Ellie. They looked him in his eye day after day and they lied to him. They saw his grief and loss and lied to him and lied to Abe and Sasha and to Simone's and Ellie's parents._

 _His body started shaking violently and he gripped unto the bathroom door frame. The tears leaked from his eyes and formed a pool at his feet. He was physically hurting all over. He squeezed his eyes shut and forced himself to calm down. When the coast was clear he left the station undetected._ _ **~*~*~*~*~***_

" _Say something Abe!" Rick whispered angrily._

 _Abe was stone faced. He was sitting on the couch and hadn't said a word or moved since Rick told him what he heard in the police station. He has never seen his best friend like this in all the years that he had known him. Now he was scared that he had even said anything._

" _Jesus f*cking Christ Abe!"_

 _Abe scarily rose from the sofa._

" _Go home Rick. I need to be with my wife."_

" _Are you going to tell her what I told you?"_

" _No. She's pregnant. She can't handle this."_

" _What are you going to do?"_

" _Go home Rick."_

 _Rick left Abe's house with a heavy heart._ _ **~*~*~*~*~***_

 _When Rick arrived home, there was an envelope with a note on his porch and he opened it._


	13. Chapter 13

**Mirror – Chapter 13**

It has been four days since they first made love. She could still feel Rick inside of her and she smiled during the whole CVOC meeting. It felt good to be connected to someone after so long. She listened as two new members introduced themselves to the group and they welcomed them with open arms.

Then they told their story. Thomas, one of the new members, son was missing for two years before he was found alive. He was kidnapped and being raised by the kidnapper's wife as their own. Those people were sentenced to twenty years in jail for their crime. Michonne found herself wiping away a few escaped tears of joy.

It gave her hope that Cayla could still be alive, despite it being four years since her kidnapping. An hour later the session was over and the members mingled and enjoyed the refreshments that were provided. She was at the drinks table when Rick spoke behind her.

"Hey. Are you alright?"

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"I saw you crying. Are you sure you're alright."

"Thomas's experience gave me a little hope. I really needed to hear that."

He smiled at her and wanted so badly to pull her into his arms for comfort but he didn't dare. What they do and how they feel about each other is not anyone business and the meeting is not the forum for such display of affection. He moved closer to her.

I'll see you later ok."

"Ok."

"I need to talk to you about something."

"Is it serious? Is it about Cayla? Did you find out something?"

Michonne was getting anxious.

"Maybe. I just need to ask you a couple questions."

"Ok."

"I'll see you tonight." **~*~*~*~*~***

After the last member left for the day, Carol paid Rick a visit in his office.

"Hey. I wanted to discuss an idea with you."

"Ok."

"I wanted to have a promotion day for the clinic. Clinic membership has been up but there are people who are still not aware of the help they can receive after the loss of a child."

"I agree with you. Do you have a specific time or time frame in mind?"

"I spoke with Karen and she said that she will look into sponsors to host the event."

"That's good. I can have members hand out fliers and do other promotional work in the meantime."

"Ok."

"Keep me posted."

Carol walked to the door and paused.

"Is there something else?"

"What's going on between you and Michonne?"

Rick exhaled slowly.

"I have never lied to you Carol and I don't want to start now."

Carol shook her head in disbelief.

"Just be careful Rick. Please."

He nodded at her and she left. **~*~*~*~*~***

Michonne grind down hard on Rick as he sucked tenderly on her right nipple and played with her left. They were on the carpeted floor of her home. It was their third rounds of love making. When Rick breathe hard against her breast she rotated her hips sensually slow and he jerked several times inside of her. She had climaxed mere minutes before and now that she had reached her goal of bringing him sweet release, she tilted his head up to hers and they kissed passionately. After a few minutes, Rick slid down on his back taking Michonne with him.

"I really like when we are together."

"Me too.

"Sorry to dampen the mood but did you find out anything on….."

She didn't finish the sentence and he didn't make her.

"I have a theory but can I ask you a question?"

He leaned up on his chest, nodding.

"Do you remembered anything new about when Cayla was kidnapped?"

She thought for a couple seconds.

"No."

"Do you remember seeing anyone strange around the area the day or days before?"

"No. Not that I could remember."

"Did you meet anyone new or make any new friends weeks or months before Cayla was taken."

"No!"

"Ok."

"Why all these questions?"

"Nothing."

Michonne became visible upset, slid off his still firm cock and was about to get up when he pulled her back down on him.

"Michonne wait!"

She weakly resisted him as he held her but she didn't look at him.

"You can't ask me all these questions and then tell me nothing! I thought you were going to keep me informed on whatever you found?"

Rick looked at Michonne.

"Do you trust me?"

She nodded.

"Then trust me that when I get something concrete I will tell you immediately."

"Ok."

He kissed her.

"Do you atleast have any theories?"

"I do but I don't want to say anything yet until I have solid proof."

Michonne said nothing.

"Trust me Michonne. If what my gut is telling me is true it could be a major break in your case."

"Really?"

He hugged her close.

"I will need to talk to your ex husband."

She looked up at him, unsure.

"Randy?"

"Yes. Do you mind?"

"No. If it will help I don't mind. I don't know how Randy will feel about being questioned though."

"If he wants Cayla's case solved he better talk to me."

"I haven't seen him in years. I don't know where he is."

"Don't worry about that. I'll find him and he will talk to me." **~*~*~*~*~***

 _ **One week later…..**_

Rick sat in the park looking at the supermarket across the street. He watched Randy move around the store talking to other employees. It only took him two days to get Randy's information and location of where he was.

He didn't share the information he got with Michonne, instead opting to give her one full report when he was done with his investigation. He drained the last drop of coffee from his cup and made his way over to the supermarket. When he entered, Randy was talking to a young lady. He waited alittle way off and when they were done he approached quickly.

"Randy Peters?"

The man looked at him suspiciously.

"Who's asking?"

"My name is Rick Grimes and I'm looking into Cayla's case."

Rick thought he saw a brief flicker in Randy's eye.

"Are you a cop?"

"No."

"An investigator?"

"No."

"So why are you doing looking my daughter's case?"

Rick had to stifle a chuckle that crept up in his throat. What right does he have to be asking why someone is looking into Cayla's case? He may be Cayla's biological father but he abandoned Michonne, his wife and mother of his child high and dry when she needed him the most.

"I'm doing this as a favour to Michonne."

"Michonne?"

"Yes. I just need to ask you a couple of questions concerning the day Cayla disappeared."

"How is she?"

Rick paused.

"She's good."

"How do you know her?"

Rick clenched his jaw at Randy's questions.

"Does that matter how I know Michonne? I'm not here for that."

"What is your relationship with her?"

He saw Randy glance at his left hand, eyes searching for a wedding ring.

"Are you her husband? I don't see a ring."

Rick smirked and deliberately didn't answer the question. He was willing to let Randy's imagination run wild, even though it would possibly make him hostile.

"Did you notice anything out of the ordinary on the day Cayla was kidnapped?"

Randy merely stared at him.

"Please answer the question. It's really important."

There was a long pause.

"No. I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary."

"Did you meet anyone new in the weeks or months before Cayla were kidnapped?"

"What's going on? Did they find new clues?"

"Answer the question!"

"I'm not answering shit until you tell me exactly what's going on!"

Rick saw red and the next thing he knew he was grabbing Randy by his collar and pushing him up against the wall. He spoke in a low menacing tone.

"Listen to me you f*cking piece of shit! You abandoned Michonne when she needed you the most. When you were off living your life as if Cayla didn't exist she was out searching for your daughter. Someone has been toying with her, torturing her, sending her letters with addresses of where Cayla could be. For four years, she was going to the police trying to follow those leads. She have been in literal hell with no one to comfort her so you are going to answer my questions otherwise I will break your neck right here and right now!"

Both men stared at each other for a long time.

"No. I haven't made any new friends in the weeks or months before Cayla disappeared."

Rick slowly released his collar. He took out a pen from his pocket and wrote his number on Randy's shirt collar.

"If you remember anything about that night, you call me immediately."

Rick started walking off and Randy called out to him.

"Tell Michonne I said hello."

Rick spun around on his heel, eyes glaring at Randy. He clenched his hands and Randy walked off quickly. **~*~*~*~*~***

Rick walked into the police station and filled out a form at the desk. It was a form requesting copies of the Michonne's case file and he used Karen as a reference. The officer at the desk saw Karen's name and nodded.

"I'll have the clerk pull the files for you Mr Grimes."

"Thanks."

Rick sat down in the waiting area. When he looked up he saw Officer Walsh looking at him. A clerk walked pass him and towards Rick. He saw Michonne's name on the box and he stopped the clerk.

"Where are you taking those files?"

The clerk looked over at Rick and then back to Shane.

"Copies of those files were requested."

"By who?"

"Rick Grimes."

The clerk nodded in Rick direction. Rick walked up to them.

"Is there a problem?"

"Why are you requesting copies of these files?"

Rick took the box from the clerk and thanked him. He started walking away.

"What are you doing with those files?"

Rick ignored him and he could hear footsteps behind him. He walked down the steps and suddenly a hand grabbed him.

"Hey! I'm talking to you."

"I'm doing your job for you Officer Walsh."

"What's that suppose to mean? Do you have any leads on her case?"

"Don't worry about it. I wouldn't want waste any of your or the department's time."

"You know what! F*ck you!"

Rick laughed as he put the box in the back seat of his car. It further irate Shane.

"You don't know what it's like doing what we do! You don't think I want to solve every case that comes before me. You don't think I want to help find Michonne's daughter?"

Rick stared blankly at him.

"If you have a lead, I want to know."

"I may have something."

"Ok. I want to help."

"Ohhhh. Now you want to help? Why?"

Shane shifted uncomfortably on his feet.

"Is it guilt? Is it eating you up?! It should! You turned away a grieving mother and thank God she didn't give up. She will never give up and neither will I." **~*~*~*~*~***

Rick put the box with Michonne case files in the corner. He took a shower, made himself a quick bite to eat and turned on his computer. Next to him was all the notes that Michonne had received from her mysterious torturer.

He began searching on the different websites into the Mc Knight family. Victor Mc Knight is one of the biggest and most powerful real estate developers in the country and his wife Beverly is a blue blood, she comes from old money. They had two sons.

He mostly found the mega business dealings of the family and their net worth, almost a billion dollars but what he really wanted was to see was the personal stuff of the family. There were very few articles on their personal life. He dialled Karen's number.

"Hey. I'm trying to find information on the Mc Knight Family."

"The Mc Knight family? As in Victor and Beverly Mc Knight?"

"Yeah. All I'm seeing is information about their net worth. I'm looking for personal information. I want to look into their family."

"What are you doing Rick? You know these people are not to be trifled with. You know this from personal experience."

"Trust me Karen. I'm not doing this to cause trouble. I just need to confirm something."

"I'll call my people and have them get back to you."

"Thank you."

"Are you looking for anything in particular?"

"I just want to know about their close family members. Aunts, uncles, cousins etc."

"Ok."

"Thanks again." **~*~*~*~*~***

Michonne was cuddled in Rick's arm. She asked him to spend the night and he willing agreed. His phone began vibrating and he answered it but he didn't recognize the number.

"Hello?"

It was a woman's voice.

"Rick Grimes?"

"Yes."

"I got your number from Karen. You wanted some information on the Mc Knight family."

He slowly sat up on the bed.

"Yes."

"Check your email. Found some real interesting things."

His interest was peek.

"Ok. Thank you. I'll check it out."

Rick hung up the phone and slipped off the bed. He tiptoed to the living room and took his laptop out of his bag. He saw the email notification and checked it. A document of about 16 pages downloaded. He started reading and his jaws dropped. The Mc Knights had not two sons but three. **~*~*~*~*~***


	14. Chapter 14

**Mirror – Chapter 14**

Randy have been distracted since Rick's visit three days ago. He tried to call Michonne's cell but it was out of service. He was curious about the man that came to see him about Cayla. He also noted that he was very hostile when he asked about Michonne.

He hasn't seen her since he left, even when he served her with divorce papers. He had sent it to her via courier express with his signature already attached. They had argued countless times over the phone before until he moved out.

She had accused him of having a lack of interest in solving their daughter's disappearance and he accused her of being obsessed about it and after everything that was said there was nothing more to discuss. When the papers arrived she signed and sent them back with the courier immediately and that was that.

He wanted to move on with his life and she wanted to be stuck in the past. In his mind Cayla was gone. Even the police have given up and there was nothing that he could do about it. He looked at the clock and painfully counted down the minutes. He decided to pay Michonne a visit. Maybe there was new information on Cayla's case. **~*~*~***

Michonne was tending to the flowers at the front of the yard when a taxi pulled up. When the occupant stepped out she clenched her jaws in disbelief. She watched the taxi pull off and focus on the person standing outside of her gate.

"Hi Michonne."

She folded her arm, remaining mum.

"I was in the neighbourhood and thought I could drop by."

She still didn't answer.

"How are you?"

The question irritated her and she felt the need to respond.

"What do you want Randy?"

"No small talk huh? Ok. I had a visitor. He was asking about Cayla and what I had seen the day she was taken."

"Ok. So?"

"His name is Rick."

"And?"

"What's going on Michonne? Who is he and why is he asking about Cayla?"

"Did you remember anything useful?"

"No."

"So I'll ask again. What are you doing here?"

"Has there been some new evidence in the case?"

"You need to check with the precinct for any updates."

Randy shifted uncomfortably on his feet. He had never visited the police station for any updates in four years.

"Ok. Fair enough."

"Is that why you are here? To ask questions about Cayla's case?"

"Who's Rick?"

Before she could think the words came out of her mouth with frightening ease.

"My husband."

The words threw Randy for a loop and his eyes danced with the information. Then there was a flash of jealous across his face. This reaction caused pleasure in the pit of her stomach.

"Wow…you're married."

"Yes."

"So why don't I see a wedding ring?"

Michonne gestured to the back of her.

"I'm attending to the flowers. Besides, the ring is too beautiful for me to just be wearing it in the house where no one can see it. However, I do put it on when we go out for romantic dinners."

Randy swallowed hard and she smiled as if she's thinking about Rick.

"So this Rick…."

"My husband?"

She couldn't resist.

"Yes…"

"What about him?"

"Is he a cop or something?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because I want to know what is his interest in my daughter's case?"

"Your daughter?"

The disdain dripped from the words.

"Your daughter? Are you serious?! Cayla hasn't been your daughter since the day she disappeared! Your behaviour through all of it is proof of that and as for Rick? His interest in my daughter's case is that he's my husband and he wants to find Cayla just as badly as I want to even after all these years because it would make me happy. It is a husband's duty to make his wife happy!"

The air was ripe with all kinds of emotions but Michonne only acknowledged her own. How dare he come to her house and question Rick's motives? He is doing more to find Cayla that he ever did.

"So is that what you came here for? To ask questions about someone who's are trying to solve a missing child's case?!"

Just then a dark blue car pulled up and Rick jumped out. He recognised Randy. He was at Michonne's side immediately, hand firmly around her waist. He saw the tension in Randy's shoulders when he saw his hands circle around Michonne. He wanted to add to it so he planted a full blown lip lock on Michonne that took even her by surprise for a split second but she gladly rolled with it.

"Hey babe." He looked lovingly into her eyes.

"Hey. This is Randy."

Rick turned to him.

"Yes. We've met. Is everything okay?"

She turned and pressing her body against Rick's, she placed her hand on his chest and he held it lovingly.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out honey. He just showed up asking a bunch of questions about you and what is your interest in Cayla's case. I told him that's what a husband does for a wife. Try to make her happy."

Michonne batted her eyelashes up at Rick and he read her play perfectly.

"Yes. That is what a husband does for his wife. Your wife has a problem and you move heaven and earth to solve it. She is in pain and you're in pain. That's how a marriage works."

He kissed her again and turned back to Randy.

"Do you remember anything about that day Cayla was taken?"

"No." he answered stiffly.

"Then you have outstayed your welcome."

Randy boiled over.

"This is my house asshole!"

Rick was in Randy's face before Michonne could blink.

"You want to test that theory?!"

"Rick don't!"

She held onto Rick's arms and felt the hot blood coursing through his veins. Cautiously she pulled him back to her side.

"He isn't worth it."

They disappeared up the steps and into the house, closing the door firmly behind them. Before leaving, Randy reached over the fence and snatched a handful of daisies out of the ground. He tore them apart before throwing them into the street. As if that wasn't enough, he kicked the fence several times before walking down the street. **~*~*~***

"Is he gone?"

Rick laughed.

"Yeah and he seems pissed."

"Good."

He turned to her.

"Hmmmm. So we are married?"

"I'm sorry. He showed up unexpectedly and was asking me all these questions about you and your connection to Cayla's case."

"And you told him we're married?"

"Yes. I was upset and I wanted to hurt him."

Rick chuckled.

"Well you accomplished that."

"Are you upset?"

"Are you kidding me? I love being your pretend husband. Sticking it to you ex was fun to watch."

"I will admit it felt good. Really good."

"We should keep up the act."

"You would do that for me?"

"I thought that was clear Michonne. I would do anything for you."

She sat on his lap and they kissed. He pulled out an envelope from his pocket.

"I came by to show you this."

Michonne took out the contents. One was the envelope addressed to her and the other was a short hand written note. The 'S' and 'A' were circled on each. She didn't recognised the hand written note.

"What's this?"

Rick took a deep breath.

"I found this note on my porch three months after Carl's accident."

Michonne read it. The offer of one million dollars to forget a loved one taken too soon was beyond vile.

"Ok. I don't understand. What does this have to do with Cayla's case?"

"Look at the letters circle Michonne. Really look at them."

When it dawned on her, she wanted to puke. Her memories flashed back to what she had briefly read about Rick case and the man accused of killing Rick's son. He couldn't be connected to Cayla's abduction.

"Rick this is not possible. You know the man who killed Carl is not physically capable of taking Cayla."

"Hear me out."

He took out another paper from Karen's friend research from his jacket pocket and gave it to her. She read it but still didn't understand. He threw out a question.

"The handwriting is the same Michonne! It's identical! The person who killed Carl has some kind of connection to the person who took Cayla! I'm 99.9999% sure of it. I feel it in my bones."

Michonne looked at the handwriting again. If what Rick is saying is true, this is the first major break in Cayla's abduction in years. It is one massive step forward to her greatest joy or greatest fear. She fell into Rick's arms and cries. **~*~*~***

 _ **Four years ago…**_

 _It was just over the one year anniversary of a tragedy that rocked the Mc Knight's family…his family. For weeks, newspapers and TV stations ran blind stories about the accident that killed three young children and their nanny. The country was outraged and demanded justice from every state agency they could think of._

 _Shawn, his 28 year old addict son threw the family into turmoil. He is the baby of the family but he literally takes the term to its means as he always create messes that other people has to clean. However, the family has the financial and political means to make such disappointments go away as much as possible._

 _Phones of eyewitnesses confiscated at the scene of the accident by the police disappeared but making the phones and other CCTV footage in the area vanish doesn't mean that the evidence could be erased from people memories and eventually people talk._

 _The two officers who ran their mouths at the station were summarily dismissed from their employment for reasons that would normally be overlooked or even ignored. However, their talk broke a damn of information that not even money can block. It was all over the news what Shawn did and everyone wanted blood._

 _The family's high powered and paid attorney was on the matter but that didn't prevent an enraged father of one of the victim from trying to exact his form of justice. It didn't save his son from his irate clutches. He will never forget that name….Abraham Ford._

 _He almost killed Shawn but in his opinion, it was better he did die for the state in which Abraham left him was no state worthy of living in. The family's wealth and prayers did nothing. He still has newspaper clipping of every article ever posted about the incident._

 _His money may not have been able to save Shawn but it was able to play a part in putting Abraham in jail albeit not for the time he had hoped for. Abraham's wife, Sasha was a media darling. They may not have money, but she had the class and charisma most women only dreamed of._

 _She advocated on behalf of her husband, eliciting the much coveted sympathy Abraham needed. Their attorney argued that Abraham had no right to take matters into his own hands and there was no evidence to suggest that Shawn was responsible for the Dylan's death and they pushed for the maximum sentence._

 _Sasha, on the other hand, played the grief card…a card that every living human being has experienced at some point in their lives. She had the nation in her corner. People all over the country called the radio stations, wrote several personal pieces for columns in newspapers._

 _The Mc Knight attorneys and the family was getting hammered on all sides. It was the only reason the trial took so long to come to a conclusion and why he got only three years in jail. Abe's attack on Shawn had to be punished in some sort of way even if Shawn was guilty._

 _They produced medical records of Shawn's history of substance abuse from since he was 14 years old. They convinced the judge that Shawn needs to be placed in a high security, 24 hours lockdown drug rehab facility to get the help he needs and not in jail._

 _Unfortunately, the judge agreed and sentenced Shawn to 10 years restrictive probabtion to Hill Valley Crescent Drug Rehabilitation Centre. He was also ordered to wear an ankle bracelet for the first five years of his sentence but which could be taken off after three years on good behaviour._

 _Victor looked at the calendar on his desk. It was that date and time again. He needed to make a now routine stop at the Melbourne Psychiatric Hospital. He gathered his car keys, wrote a note to the housekeeper and left._ _ **~*~*~***_

 _The guards respectfully nodded at him as he walked through the iron gates. His bags weren't checked as other visitors. A nurse greeted him at the end of the hall. He didn't know her. Her uniform was lily white. She had to be new._

" _Mr Mc Knight?"_

 _He nodded._

" _Hi. I'm Nurse Commie."_

" _You're new."_

 _She nervously pressed down her uniform with her hands._

" _Is it so obvious?"_

" _Yes…unfortunately."_

" _I've only been here a week."_

 _He started walking down the corridor and she followed. They turned left, then right, then a second right._

" _I know where I'm going. You don't need to follow me."_

" _I have too. It's the rules. I don't want to get into any trouble."_

" _Trust me you wouldn't."_

 _They reached large heavy duty metal doors._

" _I've never been down here before."_

" _That's probably for your own protection."_

 _The guard behind the doors recognized him._

" _Is it that time again Mr Mc Knight?"_

" _I'm afraid it is Henry."_

 _Henry buzzed him in and Victor gave the nurse a sharp eye._

" _This is as far as you will be going young lady."_

 _The large doors clenched shut behind him and Nurse Commie watched as he disappeared down the corridor._ _ **~*~*~***_

 _Victor stopped at the last door on the right hand side. He exhaled and punched in a code and the door opened. He stepped in and the door swung shut hard behind him. He took out the items…a small radio, puzzle books, a pack of cards, nicotine gum and placed them on a table in the corner of the room._

 _Then he took out the last item…a pack of cigarettes and held them out in front of him. A hand moved out of the dark corner of the room and took the pack. One was lit up almost immediately and a huge puff of smoke blew out._

 _"Didn't expect to see you here again so soon?"_

" _Me neither." Victor answered grimly._

 _The figure stepped into the light._

" _Hello dad."_

" _Hello son."_ _ **~*~*~***_


End file.
